Book IV - Tainted Melodies
by Fenix Uzumaki
Summary: Bonds broken, families torn apart. How will the band and their family ever come together again after the horrific car crash? How will they cope with their injuries, with the deaths, and with each other with so little hope left? The bonds of family have been frayed and are on the edge of being broken forever. Can they ever come back together again to be a family once more?
1. Prologue

**Hello and welcome as I finally release the awaited fourth story in the main CB storyline: Book IV - Tainted Melodies. I do so hope you enjoy this story, as I'm taking my time with it so that it is perfect for you, my readers. There will be character death to begin with, as we last left off with the crash in the epilogue of book 3. There will be dark moments, happy moments, comedic moments, and moments of love. This story will be about how ties can be broken and possibly mended, and how even the strongest can break.**

 **Thank you for taking your time to read this. Now then, down to business.**

 **Any canon characters you see here [from the movie] do not belong to me. Everyone else belongs to me and two of my friends who created such characters - The Falcos, Gene Lee. All other non-canon characters belong to me. I've also decided that instead of telling you their ages at the beginning of the story, I'll give you their birthdays. :3**

 _Big Al Williams - January 11, 1943  
_ _Raymond Falco - February 14, 1947  
_ _Henry Taylor - July 16, 1953  
_ _Ted Bedderhead - May 25, 1957  
_ _Fred Bedderhead - September 1, 1958  
_ _Tennessee O'Neal - June 19, 1959  
_ _Trixie O'Neal - June 15, 1960  
_ _Zeb Zoober/Alec Seillean - October 17, 1966  
_ _Jason Claybourne - November 23, 1968  
_ _Jade Falco - November 25, 1969  
Mengmeng Chuntian - December 31st, 1971  
Dexter Barrington - September 17, 1986  
Roxi Barrington - November 15, 1986  
Jewel O'Neal-Taylor - January 28, 1992  
Beary Barrington-Taylor - May 25, 1992  
_

 _Tempest Barrington - April 20, 2005  
Erik O'Neal-Taylor - April 29, 2005  
Kirstina Barrington - September 30, 2005  
Rebekkah Taylor - December 23, 2005  
Lyra Hymn Taylor - December 23, 2005_

* * *

 **.~*Prologue*~.**

The cries and grunts of a female giving birth could be heard throughout the maternity ward. Her curses and swears caused many to cover their ears. Such language from a new mother was understandable, given the pains of childbirth, but that did not mean that people had to listen to it.

However, the curses directed at the father left some people wondering just what the man had done to anger the woman so. Had he scorned her? Had an affair? Took off? Died? What could make a woman so angry? So hateful?

Soon, the cries of a baby were heard, there were a few more curses, and another baby's cry joined the first. The curses died out, and nurses and patients alike calmed down and smiled at the new lives that had entered the world. Soon, the babies would be moved into a nursery to be fully checked out and cleaned while the mother was cleaned up and had time to relax, and then the babies returned to her room, to sleep in a crib beside her.

Esmeralda Belleo groaned as she sat up. That had been one of her harder births, but it had left her with a feeling of joy in her heart. She craved the wonderful feeling the release of oxytocin gave her, and those moments were hard for her to come by. She knew of no way other than bedding her many partners and allowing them to get her pregnant to cause the blessed feelings. She hated babies, though, and would always either given them to the orphanage or send them to their fathers to be raised.

But the partner that had gotten her pregnant with her twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh children had been special. Thirteen-year-old Beary Taylor. She smiled at the memory of him. Such a sweet, naïve little bear cub. Who would have thought that a cub would be a better partner than most adults? Before him, the youngest she'd ever gone was eighteen, and that was years and years ago, when her first daughter, Caedia, had been born. After that, she had been careful to sleep with adults, if they were within her standards, and refused to sleep with perverts or those that looked down on females. Only the best in her mind had a chance at being with her.

She had even been married and happy once long ago to a sloth bear named Jack Swinburne. He was an amazing guy, and they were going to happily have a family together. Yet... After almost a year of marriage and raising their little daughter, Esmeralda had begun to feel distant from her mate and child. It was an emotional distance that caused her to cry and hate herself. She couldn't figure out why she didn't feel happy. She couldn't figure out why she didn't feel love. Why she felt so empty inside.

Ridden with guilt, she had divorced and left him, letting him take their daughter. She feared what she might have done if he hadn't taken the little pale peach colored sloth cub. She might have hurt the little cub.

Soon after that, she began to venture to clubs across the country, trying to find something to fix her. After a one-night stand, she discovered that it had made her happier than she had been in a long time. She started to frequent more and more bars, and went home with more and more guys. Once she even dated for nearly six months; and at that point, she was pregnant. She had tried so hard to love this child, but nothing worked. She found herself abandoning the baby and disappearing into the night.

And then she had met Ted Bedderhead. She had really thought she could make things work with him, but she still had her needs. Needs that he refused to fulfill until marriage. Needs that had caused her to seek out other members of the band, who all refused her. Needs that caused Helen Taylor to turn everyone against her like the bitch Helen really was. Needs that caused her to hate Ted so much that she left him and went to find someone else, vowing to never again get into a long-term relationship.

It wasn't that she was evil or cruel. What had brought her to get to know Thrasher. It had been a chance meeting at a bar, about six years prior, honestly. He had taken her back to his place and bedded her. He even told her about his program – though she was sure that was only because he was drunk at the time. For a while, she had even thought about joining the program. Endless males, pregnancies, and she'd never have to keep the cubs.

She wasn't sure why, but she had turned him down, yet had opted to stay on to help him out with other things, such as training fighters how to be merciless. A few times, she had gotten pregnant by the panda known as Derek, only because she had volunteered to take the place of a dying female until she could be replaced, and those cubs had gone up for adoption. After her third, though, she had completely pulled out of the breeding program and ventured off on her own, doing scouting missions for him, trying to find new prospective clients and breeders.

And then had come in Beary Taylor. Who would have thought her past would come to haunt her? That Henry and Helen Taylor would return in her life in the form of their child? Why had she been so drawn to him? She hadn't meant to bed him, really she didn't. It had just happened, and she had actually regretted it, having initially wanted to get him back to his family. To prove to Ted that she could be good. But now she had his cubs, Ted would never accept her back.

To learn that her brother Ivan had tried to murder the teenager had caused quite a squabble between the two siblings. She had never wanted Beary hurt. She had only had a need that she was a slave to. She had tried so hard to be a good girl. To not give into her urges, but finally, she'd been unable to take it. Yet, she didn't want him hurt, nor did she want to go to jail. She knew Ivan had only been trying to protect her, to get rid of the witness that could very well send her to jail. The way he had gone about it, though...

Esmeralda Belleo looked out the large window at the falling snow. She was in a small town of Honeyoeye, Maine, on December 23rd, 2005. It was a lovely evening to have given birth, and she felt happy. She hadn't felt quite like this in a long time. She was relaxed and calm. Was it because of these cubs? Because she hadn't had a child in nearly two years? She dared not get attached. She could not keep the cubs. She refused. Maybe for a month or so. She had heard that Beary and Ted had gotten into a nasty accident almost two months prior, but that's was as far as she knew.

She hoped that the father was still alive, as these cubs... these twin cubs she didn't want to send to an orphanage, nor give it to Thrasher. It just wouldn't be right.

"Knock, knock! I have a delivery for a Mrs. Jewel Taylor?"

Esmeralda looked up with a forced smile. She had chosen to put on the birth certificates Beary as the father, and Jewel as the mother. She had falsified her medical records – for one to hide her true identity, and another so that maybe, just maybe, the little ones would be accepted into the clan of bears and not be rejected like she had been. "I am she. Have you brought my babies?"

"Yes! Two fraternal females. Both are a bit small for a pizzly, but they're as healthy as can be. Are you ready to see them? We made sure that they received no other scents." The nurse, a human with plain brown hair and blue eyes, smiled as she pushed in the sealed bassinet with small air holes.

Esmeralda smiled. "Thank you. I can take it from here. I've nursed before, and I know how to make a bottle."

The nurse looked like she wanted to argue, but thought better of it and nodded. "Just press the call button if I'm needed."

"Thank you, Jennifer," Esmeralda smiled. She waited until the nurse left before getting up and picking up her suitcase, wincing a bit, and pulled out a ziplock bag. Inside it was a shirt of Beary's that she had saved for just an occasion. Sadly, she had nothing from Jewel, but this would suffice in giving the cubs the scent of him. She waited until she was at the bassinet, and looked in at the pink blanket wrapped thinly-furred newborns.

Their full fur would be coming in soon enough – within the next few days – and from the looks of it, would be different colors – one more white with brown patches and the other browner [almost a light ashen brown]. Both had a small black nose – the shape of a polar bear's – and the perfect mix of a polar bear and grizzly. A pair of perfectly beautiful pizzlies with large polar bear paws.

Smiling a little, she opened the bassinet and slipped the shirt in next to the cubs before shutting the lid again, going to let them soak up the scent for a good time. "You take in that scent, little Rebekkah Esmeralda Taylor, and little Lyra Hymn Taylor. I want you to accept your father right away. In just a few short weeks, you'll be going to him, little ones. I'm sure, no, I know he's going to love you far more than I ever could. You need to get big and strong for him, okay? You're going to be good girls."

Esmeralda backed away from the bassinet, thinking on just how she would introduce Beary to his daughters.

.~* _Tainted Melodies*~._

Kathy Munson wept.

Rain fell from the skies in a heavy, loud torrent as the wind blew fiercely around her, whipping her normally perfectly kept hair into a ragged mess. She did not care that her expensive phone, clutched in her hand, was being ruined by the water.

How had something so simple gone so wrong? Why was her sister dead? Her son-in-law was only supposed to get rid of the bear that had brought her sister's family to sin! Why was her sister... her crazily beautiful, sweet, and loving sister dead from a bullet to the brain?!

"You bastard... How could you... How could you kill her?!" she screamed to the wind.

"You asked me to, Mother dearest," came a mocking voice.

Kathy whipped around to face the post-plastic surgery face of her now more age-appropriate looking son-in-law. Gone was the baby face his father had made him get, and back was his originally very smart look, spiky hair, and pierced ears.

"You son of a bitch! How dare you?! I asked you to deal with the bear, not my sister!"

"The bear you speak of was not the original sinner. He did not ask to be adopted. It was your sister that allowed it to happen. Your sister took him in. Therefore, she is the original sinner. I did what you asked of me." Joshua Thimple smirked and ran a hand through his hair, not caring about the rain.

"I should turn you in for murder!"

"And you would get arrested, too, for meditated murder, as you hired me as your hitman, and I won't go down without you, even if you are Eliza's mother. I don't give a crap. You try to book me for this, and I'll turn right around and burn you." His eyes narrowed at her, and brows furrowed. How dare she think that she could take him down? Did she think she was above him? No woman would ever be above him! Even his own mother hadn't been! His father had taught him that women were to remain as servants to the higher male gender.

"How dare you talk to me like that! You could never put me away. You have no proof other than your word that I did anything! And her name is Elise!"

"You know she changed her name to Eliza, bitch." He laughed. "You think I didn't record our conversations? Copied down your texts? Lady, I have everything on you. You may be smart, but you're also very stupid. If you weren't family, I'd kill you right here, right now, but where would that land me? Who knows who might see, and I don't have time to search for the bullet in this godforsaken rain."

Kathy screamed internally. She knew she should turn him in for what he had done, but what would that get her? Now that her sister was dead, when she stood before God on the final day, she'd be cast into Hell for working with this man! Maybe she could make things right, though, and turn herself in. "I'm going to the police. I don't care anymore if I go down with you. I will make myself right before God, and beg His forgiveness."

Josh's eyes narrowed. "No, you won't. Family doesn't betray family, and now that you have announced that you are going to betray me, you are no longer family." He moved to pull out his gun.

The short woman's eyes widened and she turned to run away, but didn't get very far as he grabbed her arms and pulled her in close.

Josh chuckled and grinned darkly. "You didn't think I'd shoot you, did you? No, no. That would draw too much attention! Then again, you love having so much attention. Someday, if they find your body, you'll get even more, but no one will know it was me who silenced your fat mouth. They'll praise your killer for finally shutting you and your bigotry up. I'll miss your speeches, but I'd rather stay out of jail." He moved his hands up to her throat and head and twisted mightily, snapping her neck cleanly.

"You should have kept your mouth shut."

He dragged her limp body over to the flooded and fast moving creek, and threw it in, standing on the shore to watch it float away. Once it was out of sight, he turned around and began walking back to his car. It was time to go home to his loyal wife and child. Maybe later he'd check in on those stupid bears, see which ones were left. Maybe even contact his associate, Thrasher, and hatch another plan in case they survived.

 _.~*Tainted Melodies*~._

Derek paused in front of the door to their room. No, he shouldn't call it that; it was more of a jail cell than a room. Cramped, no windows, a single toilet, and no bed. Only a rag for him and his wife to use. He knew he was in for far worse treatment since he failed to procure the Barrington-Taylor cub from Esmeralda Belleo. The panda just prayed Thrasher wouldn't hurt his beloved wife more than he had already.

After Alakalei and Derek had distracted the chasers who were coming for Beary, thus allowing the cubs and humans to get away, Thrasher had been furious and ready to kill them. Derek still wasn't sure what stopped him from doing so.

They had been chained to the wall in a cell in the caves leading up to the flight from Salt Lake City, and during the hours it took for things to be packed in the cargo plane, Thrasher had toyed with them mercilessly. He had used a white-hot iron poker to melt their fur and flesh, and even their more private areas. Derek and his wife would most likely never be _together_ again, not after what that bastard did. The elderly panda was certain the only reason why they hadn't been killed was so Thrasher could continue to punish them.

After the iron, he had used a pronged whip to strip away a much of their flesh. He had then forced Derek to watch as he drilled into Lei's right foot with an inch wide drill bit. The elderly bear would never get her screams out of his head.

He had pulled free of his bindings and, despite the damage done to his own body weakening him greatly, had rushed to cover her body with his own. Thrasher continued to whip them, however, and only stopped after that foolish cub had launched himself at him. All that earned Beary was a severe lashing on his legs that left him unable to walk. The massive grizzly had then drugged and packed him up in a crate.

Derek and Lei were also packed up and loaded on the plane, but they never saw Beary again. Until a few days ago, Derek had been convinced that Thrasher had killed and skinned him. It would have almost been a better fate than the cub having been sold.

The duo, however, were kept in a cell in the new base.

Thrasher would let Derek out of the cell occasionally, only to beat him or force him to train his new breeders. Lei, he kept locked up.

Derek sighed and gently opened the door, hobbling into their new home, dragging the one hundred pound chain ball behind him. In the dim light, he saw his wife laying in the corner, covered with the ratty blanket. A six foot thick chain, just long enough to reach the toilet, stretched from the wall to the collar around her neck. He hated the sound it made when she moved.

"Al-Alakalei... I am ba-back," he softly called out to let her know as he shut the door behind him, hearing it electronically lock. He relieved himself at the toilet and flushed, thankful that Thrasher had allowed them at least that luxury.

Still, she kept her back to him. He knew why – she was a broken spirit with no hope at all for the future. She hardly spoke to him anymore and it was breaking his heart. She was more of a shell of her usual self.

He pulled the iron ball behind him and gathered her up in his arms, carrying her over to the toilet so she could use it herself. As soon as she was finished, he cleaned her up and took her back to the corner, letting her sit up, propped against the wall.

Her oily hair was ratty and unkempt, draping her head like a moth-bitten curtain. Derek frowned upon seeing this and picked up the brush, gently running the bristles through her hair, eyes growing ever sorrowful at the clumps he pulled out in the process. Lei complained not even once, though he was sure it hurt her. He then took a torn strip of the blanket and tied her hair up in a bow, and kissed her forehead.

A soft tap at the door announced that supper was here, and he went over as the small flap opened and a tray of mush and stale and moldy bread was sent in, along with a bottle of water. Derek thanked their guard and brought the tray back to his wife, cautious not to trip due to the ball. He sat down in front of her and picked up the spoon, dipping it into the mush, and began to feed her.

While he did this, he began to talk slowly and carefully, telling her how beautiful she looked. He spoke of their past, their dreams for the future, and how much he missed her laugh.

Maybe today she might respond. Every day he got his hopes up, and every day they were crushed. He still held onto his hope for a better future for them. Thrasher wouldn't keep them cooped up here forever, right?

"I m-m-mizz y-ya, L-Lei-Lei," he whispered as he finished feeding her. He set the bowl down and cleaned up the mush that was stuck around her mouth in her fur. He then picked at the moldy bread, trying to find some parts that weren't too bad, but in the end, he just threw it towards a small hole in the wall, where a rat promptly stuck his head out and snatched it up, dragging it back into his den.

Derek's own stomach growled and whined, but he paid it no mind. His wife needed the food more than he did. Maybe tomorrow he would have some. Alakalei was the one who was skin and bones. Then again... He glanced at his own bony arms, frowning slightly. Nah, he'd be fine, he reaffirmed himself.

"Need... to... eat..."

"No, I do-don't," he muttered, convinced the voice he'd heard was just in his head. "My L-Lei-Lei needz foodz mo'."

It wasn't until her silver paw came to rest on his black one that he realized that she had spoken. Looking up, he found her staring back at him, a trace of recognition in her pale blue eyes. "Lei...?"

She smiled weakly at him, squeezing his paw, but didn't speak again. She glanced down at the empty tray with a sad sigh.

He sniffled and pulled her close. "I will eat t-to-tomorrow," he responded, nuzzling her lovingly. He could hear her trying to purr, his ears flattening when he realized how bad it sounded from disuse. "Shh... Tomorrow... Eve'yting bettah tomorrow..."

 **Book Four – Tainted Melodies**


	2. Chapter One

**Warning - Character death**

* * *

 **.~*Chapter One*~.**

Méngméng glanced over at Jade as she got into the Charger. "Sorry for stealing your keys, Jade, but you were taking too long. We wanted to get in and get settled." She glanced back at her son and someday daughter-in-law, who smiled back at her.

Jade didn't answer at first, preoccupied with her thoughts. Everyone had acted like nothing was wrong. "Huh? What'd you say?" She turned to her and started the engine after a few minutes, having watched the others leave.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I guess. I just... I just have a bad feeling." She shook her head. "You have that walkie-talkie we paired with the boys?"

"Yeah, I do." She held it out, a confused look on her face.

"Keep in communication with them for me, all right?"

Méngméng frowned, but nodded. She stayed fairly silent as they pulled out of the parking lot and paid their parking fee, and only then she did she begin to speak, having been listening to a soft conversation between her son and his fiancé in the back seat. "Hey, Jade? I... I'm leaving."

Jade frowned, flicking an ear. "Why?"

"Alec. Among other things."

Jade looked at her quickly before returning her eyes to the road, keeping herself a safe distance behind Tennessee and Trixie's convertible. "Why? He clearly loves you. I've never seen him so happy."

"He doesn't want to marry me, Jade. He made that clear the other night when I asked about it."

"Oh, bull. He loves you, Mysty. Don't run away from him."

"I'm not running from him, but I'm not going to wait around for him forever, either. I love him to death, and nothing will change that, but I can't settle for just being his girlfriend for the rest of my life."

"Aren't you two mates again, though?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't matter. If we don't ever get married, it feels more like friends with benefits." Her ears lowered.

"What's wrong with that?"

"You know what's wrong with that. Plus, I won't be able to bear his cubs. I'm damaged." She placed a paw on her belly, staying quiet about it's swollen status. "And... I have to go back to China."

"Why?"

"I'm going to be Empress, Jade. I have learned while I was there getting Fēnglì that the people have voted for the monarchy to be reinstated, similar to the way England's monarchy still reigns. They are tired of being a military state. I have to go."

"No, you don't. Fēnglì can take over." She glanced in the rearview at the tall, striped, silver panda, who conveniently started looking out the window. "You've had training, haven't you?"

Fēnglì gave a small nod, but otherwise stayed out of the conversation.

"Jade, he's not ready for full leadership. And until Alec and I marry, he's ineligible. I've studied and trained and was raised into that life. It is my duty and honor. Don't misunderstand me; I want Alec to be there with me, but I don't think he'd like leaving his family here and moving to Běijīng with me. It just wouldn't be fair to him. Plus, he has business in Scotland now, since he is Chief Seillean. We're both going to be busy."

"Mysty, don't go. Your life isn't there anymore. It's here. Don't run away from your problems here. From those you love." Jade looked at her with a meaningful expression.

Her gaze lowered again. "Then what do I do? I love my country, too. There is so much I can do for them! So many plans I have. And my term would only be for a few years, and by that point, Fēnglì could take over... If I can get his father to marry me. Besides, Alec supports me. He's told me such things several times over the summer when I started mentioning this to him."

"Listen to your heart, Mysty. Do what you think is best, but be ready for the consequences." Jade then fell silent until about fifteen minutes had passed and the walkie-talkie crackled to life.

" _Bear Bus to Dragon Dodgers. Come in, Dragon Dodgers_ ," a voice rang out.

" _Aw, Ted, I wanted to say that!_ " came Zeb's clear voice.

Méngméng burst into laughter. "That's our boys. Always arguing."

Jade shook her head. "Go ahead and answer them."

The she-panda nodded and pressed the button on the side. "This is, uh, Dragon Dodgers. What's up with the call signs?"

" _Uh, just testing how they worked. How's things in there? Does Jade miss her Teddy... er, her big strong bear?_ " Ted asked.

"Oh, nothing much. Just us girls talking about girly things. You probably wouldn't like it too much."

" _Depends on what you mean. However, if it's anything about a new fruit diet, leave me out of it_ ," Ted groaned.

"Nah, just bodily things," she lied, laughing as she lifted her finger off the switch, muting her microphone. "I'm so mean."

Jade raised an eyebrow while Fēnglì and Rādhikā snorted with amusement.

" _Ugh! Here, Zeb, take it._ " There was a scrabbling sound, and then Zeb's voice rang out. " _Chicken._ "

Méngméng burst out with loud laughter, finding them ridiculous. "Oh, I'm such a tease, no?" she asked, speaking once more into the radio.

" _Ted, you are such a teddy bear. Ow! Hey, come on! No hitting!_ " Zeb complained. " _Tease? You? Never. Mischievous and evil? Yes._ "

"Of course. Whoa! Geez!" she growled as a semi sped past them, going way too fast down the interstate. "Stupid truckers that don't care about anyone but themselves."

" _You guys okay?_ "

Jade hadn't even needed to swerve, having perfect control of her vehicle.

"We're fine, Alec. Chill. Didn't even come close."

" _Well, he came fairly close to us. Can you see me?_ "

Méngméng glanced out the window and laughed when she saw him waving out the back window. "You dork." She glanced in the rearview mirror, spotting a sleek, navy blue SUV coming up fast, she groaned and rolled her eyes. "Are all the crazy drivers out today?"

Jade frowned, glancing in the mirror as well, the queasy feeling in her stomach intensifying.

" _What do you mean? Don't tell me there's another._ "

"SUV. They had been trailing, so why did they just speed up?"

"This is ridiculous. I'm slowing down to get that asshole to slow down. They're going to get somebody killed driving like that." Jade slowed her vehicle.

The driver of the SUV seemed to ignore her as he weaved around her, speeding up as he passed them, flipping them off.

Méngméng growled and spat a curse in his direction. "Stupid driver." She glanced back at her son, who looked startled. "You get used to seeing stupid drivers on the road here."

"It is odd. I thought Chinese drivers were bad. Who would have thought American drivers were the same?" Fēnglì questioned, glancing over at Rādhikā, who nodded in agreement.

"Indian drivers are also insane, but when we see a cow, we stop as they are sacred to the Hindu culture," she stated.

"I'm beginning to hate this state," Jade growled. "All the stupid drivers. Then again, stupid drivers everywhere."

The driver of the SUV pulled up alongside the Barrington van. Méngméng focused on it, confused. It was driving on the side of the road as they came to a curve. Knowing how odd that was, she opened her mouth to speak into the radio when she saw it.

Even on the loud road, the sound of the gun blast echoed through the air.

Within seconds, the SUV was slamming into the side of the van, which was just barely in front of the once-speeding semi, causing the semi to slam into it with a mighty crash.

The SUV vanished down the road as the red van went rolling down the road.

The bus began skidding along the road, but since they were going into a curve at such a high speed, it appeared that Roadie wasn't able to maintain control. The bus swerved off the side of the road and down into a ditch, landing on its top. Tennessee and Trixie's convertible vanished from sight.

Jade slammed on her brakes, skidding to a halt. "WHAT IN THE HELL WAS THAT?!"

Méngméng had immediately relaxed her muscles, knowing that having them tense would cause further injury. Her eyes were wide and her claws were sunk into the dashboard and her fur puffed up. She looked at Jade, at a complete loss at what to say.

Suddenly, both Jade and Méngméng were jolted forwards as another car slammed into the rear of the charger. Fēnglì and Rādhikā let out shouts of pain, while Jade's nose bounced off the steering wheel and the airbags went off.

Jade turned around as soon as she was able, her ears ringing and nose bleeding. A couple of her teeth felt loose, but otherwise she seemed fine. "Are you guys all right?!"

"My legs! I'm pinned!" Fēnglì cried out, trying to free himself.

Rādhikā was in much the same way, and she was bleeding from where some broken glass that had sliced her ear.

"Frickin hell. Hold on." Jade tried moving the seat forward, and when that failed, tried opening the door, breathing a sigh of relief when it opened. "Hold on! Méngméng, can you get out?"

"I can. The back doors are done for, though. They might be able to get out the front if we get these seats out."

"Good thing we're bears then, huh?" Jade flexed her arms, dug into her seat, and started pulling, trying to relieve the pressure on Fēnglì's legs.

At that point, other vehicles that had pulled over rushed in to help, a couple taking the doors off Jade's car, and the others working to get the two bears out of the back seat. By the time rescue personnel arrived, Fēnglì and Rādhikā had their legs free and the rescue personnel were able to get them the rest of the way out of the vehicle and treated for their injuries.

Jade refused to be checked out, though her nose was still bleeding, and went walking. She had to find out about the others!

Mengmeng let out a long string of curses in Chinese and looked back at the totaled car, reached in and grabbed her medical bag, and then took off after Jade.

"You shouldn't be doing anything, Mysty. Go be with Fēnglì."

"I am a nurse. I can help! If you stay silent, I can get you in, too." She went to a firefighter, gave her name, and showed him her identification card, and he let her through. She then managed to get him to let Jade in, saying that she'd already been checked over. After a few minutes of bickering, Jade was allowed in, too.

As soon as they got past the firemen and reached the ditch, Méngméng froze. "Jade..."

Jade frowned and walked over to her. "What's up... Holy... Oh, no... No, no, no!" Jade started running. She stumbled and fell to her knees, but she had to get down the slope, not wanting to believe what she was seeing.

Underneath the overturned bus was the O'Neal convertible.

She rushed past the bus, at that point not even caring about Ted's safety, and hurried up the smaller half of the slope, looking around. Finally, she found what she'd been searching for, a lump of golden fur among the dead fields. Further down the way was another brown lump. "Trixie!" she yelled, getting down on all fours and running until she reached her. "Please be alive, please be alive!"

Trixie was a mess, her dress torn, her hip obviously dislocated and her legs broken. A long wooden stake, probably from the fence, skewered her through the torso. Her head was bloody, and her ears torn but still attached.

"T-Trixie?" Jade knelt down and felt for a pulse, letting out a cry of relief when she found one. "MÉNGMÉNG! I FOUND TRIXIE AND TENNESSEE!" she shouted, seeing the she-bear coming running.

Méngméng did a 180 and went back to get help.

"'ak... 'ak..." Trixie whispered, and Jade noticed that the she-bear's jaw was broken, hanging at an awkward angle.

"I'll find him, Trix. I'll find him. You're going to be okay." She looked into the she-bear's terrified eyes. "I'll find him. If you survived, I'm... I'm sure..." She closed her eyes. "Just hang on, all right? Jewel and Zak need their mother."

Trixie crinkled her eyes, relaxing slightly.

Jade stayed with her until help arrived, and then she moved on, watching as Tennessee, who looked to be in better shape, was taken care of. If they had been thrown, was it possible that Zak had been, too? He couldn't have been crushed, right? She refused to acknowledge that thought.

Hearing a soft wail, her ears perked. Was it possible? Following the sound, she ventured further into the field, and finally found the car seat. Her hopes rose when she saw that it was intact, and she breathed a sigh of relief, only to fall to her knees when she went to the other side and found the cub in his seat, his body broken and a large splinter running through his chest. She knew he wasn't going to make it, though he was crying. His cries were so weak, though, and his mouth was filled with blood.

She ran a paw along his cheek, openly crying at this point. She could feel that his neck was broken, and knew that he couldn't feel anything, something that made her actually thank an almighty power. "Shh, Zak... Shh... Go to sleep," she whispered, crouching down and lying beside him. She had no idea how he was even still alive at this point, but knew it was only a matter of minutes before he passed on, too soon for help to arrive.

A black figure, dressed in a leathery loincloth, naked from the torso up, with leather bands on his biceps with feathers falling from them, and hair done up in a few beaded strands, walked towards her, a walking stick decorated in leather cords, feathers, and a few carvings holding him upright.

Jade wanted to shout at him, yell at him to go away and to put on some clothes. Yet, when he knelt on the other side of Zak and put a paw on his cheek, she could see the tears that flowed from his eyes.

" _Little one, your time has come far too soon. You were meant to have a long, beautiful life, but your body will not last much longer. I'm here to take you to a beautiful place where the flowers grow all year long, the water is crisp and clear, and you will someday see your parents again. Your life was not meaningless – you gave joy to many, little Zak O'Neal. Death leaves a heartache that no one can heal; love, however, leaves a memory that no one can steal. You've made your mark, and your body has been dealt a serious blow. It is time to come home._ "

The scantily clad bear leaned down and kissed his cheek and held his paw. " _Lady Jae, I ask you to release him. It is time for him to go. He will suffer if he remains._ "

Jade nodded, tearing up as she stared into the infant's beautiful brown eyes, listening as he let out pained cries from a nasty cut to his face – most likely the only thing he could feel – as his breathing slowed. "Zak... Sleep now..." She began to softly sing a lullaby, sending him into eternal sleep as she gently brushed his cheek fur with her paw, continuing to sing long after he and the other black bear were gone, having walked away from her after the other bear had pulled his soul free from his mortal body, leaving it cold and lifeless.

"Jade? Jade!" Méngméng's voice was coming from somewhere near, and Jade finally pulled her gaze away from the vacant eyes in time to see a medical helicopter leaving from the road.

"Mysty...?" she whispered. "How... How long have you..."

"Long enough. They've just airlifted Trixie and Tennessee to the hospital. They're going straight to surgery. I..." She looked at Zak, letting out a mournful cry.

A couple of medics came over, and after finding Zak was gone, put a blanket over him and pinned it down. His body would be moved later, after pictures had been taken for evidence.

Méngméng grabbed Jade and hauled her to her feet, pulling her in for a hug, and for once, Jade allowed herself to openly cry on her friend's shoulder. The she-panda held her, gently rocking her back and forth.

When Jade's tears had slowed, Méngméng pulled away. "Jade... Jade, we need to go back. I... The bus... The Barringtons... We have to go back. We have to find out."

Jade nodded, blinking a few times. "Erik... Beary! Jewel!" Her eyes widened and she took off like a bullet, running on all fours once again. She didn't care how undignified she looked. She had to get to them! Ted could wait, as much as she hated to admit it. She sent up prayers to whoever would listen, begging that no one else had died.

Yet, when she finally caught sight of the skewered and crumpled red van, she felt her heart sink. She didn't want to go any closer, for fear all inside would be dead. "No... No more death. Please, whomever may be listening, no more death." She stood and walked a little more slowly. She could smell the blood from where she stood, and paused for a few moments before continuing on.

As she drew closer, she counted at least ten rods of various thicknesses through the windshield of the completely wrecked van from the bed of the semi. Blood coated the broken windows. She took one look in the front of the van where the firemen had abandoned, and let out a pained cry.

Allison and Norbert were dead.

She dared a look past them, and wished she hadn't. She could just barely see Beary, eyes open and vacant, blood dripping from his lips. He, too, had been skewered by the rods in the chest and torso, rods that had gone between the two front seats and hit him in the middle seat. Jewel, she couldn't find.

She fought back the tears as she looked back at Méngméng.

"Excuse me, ladies, please step back. We're going to pry the door open and get the girl out," one fireman said, gently ushering them to the side and out of the way.

Jade's heart filled with some hope as she stepped back and watched them pry the door open with the Jaws of Life. She bit back a cry when she saw how still Jewel was. The side of her head was caked with blood. Her arm was at an awkward angle, and there was a definite hitch in her breathing.

If she was that way, and Beary was already dead, what about the kids?!

Méngméng grabbed her arm, trying to steady her.

Something in the back of the van caught Jade's eye. Something shiny. She stood back, watching as the firemen cut through the bars holding Jewel in place and freed her, trying to get her to respond. Since they didn't cover her, but instead loaded her carefully onto a backboard with a neck brace and moved her away from the vehicle, Jade knew Jewel was still alive. But what Jade overheard about her being completely unresponsive was nerve wracking.

The moment they left, Jade let out a cry when she realized all of them were leaving. "Wait! There were three kids in that car! Three babies! What about them?"

The fireman looked at her in confusion. "Babies? We saw no babies!"

Jade rushed past him, and jumped into the car, her eyes widening when she saw the crystal "shield" that had formed between the back seat and the rest of the car. She slammed her fists on it, crying. "Erik! Kristina! Tempest!" What was this? Was this Beary's doing? Had he given his life to protect them? Seeing that his paw was still attached to the crystal, she choked back a cry and gently lifted it away, telling him that he did well.

Before she knew it, the shield partially gave way, and she was nearly flung forward. Fresh air and what looked like smoke, but didn't smell like smoke, wafted from the openings in the crystal, and she continued to pound, feeling her paws heating up. Slowly, she placed her paws on the shield, closing her eyes, and felt her pads heat up to incredibly hot temperatures. She opened her eyes and watched as the shield melted away, revealing three perfectly whole car seats and three distinct wails.

She was pulled out of the van and the firemen rushed in, unhooking the car seats and passing them out.

Jade started crying all over again when she saw that none of the infants were harmed. That they were all safe and alive. She glanced at Méngméng, who was also shedding tears.

"Four... Four survivors out of seven. How... How are we going to tell the others..." The panda looked back at the van.

Jade placed a paw on her shoulder. "I'll tell them. I... It's my job now. I wanted to be the alpha female, and now I wish I wasn't." She closed her eyes as she thought back to Helen's words of warning. She had known! She had known that this would happen! If only she had heeded her words! Or had Helen not known? She had said there was danger. Did she know what that danger was?

"Ow..."

Jade blinked, flicking her eyes in the panda's direction again. "What's wrong? What did you do to your arm?!" She looked at the bleeding arm in shock. Sure, there was a bandage, but it had already been bled through.

Méngméng pulled back and shifted her sleeve down. "It's fine. I just cut it while I was helping get my son and Rādhikā out. I'll change the bandages later."

"Méngméng..."

"It's fine, Jade!" the she-panda snapped. "My little injury is nothing to worry about. Now that we know that they're okay, and that Jewel's going to be taken to the hospital, let's go to the bus. It's... It's better than staring at this mess."

Jade took one last look at the kids and finally nodded in agreement. She had to know if Ted was alive or not.

By the time they got to the bus, rescue works were already underway. Jade paused for a moment, looking at the horribly scraped side of the bus, the painting of the band completely gone. One half of the bus was already crushed. Could it be that only a little bit ago they were laughing about not getting a new bus until the old one was totaled? She cringed at the thought now.

Who was hurt? Were any dead? She wasn't sure if she wanted to know at that moment, but she ventured closer, making sure to stay out of the way.

She listened to the metal being cut, and closed her eyes, trying to block out the sounds. Was anyone in the bus even alive? Was Ted? Even if they survived, would they ever be the same?

She already knew the answer was no.

"Jade. Jade! You're drifting again."

Jade blinked, glancing up. When had the sun started to set?! "Méngméng?" She blinked a few times when a bright light suddenly appeared in her vision. "Will you cut that out?"

"Jade, I think you might have a concussion. You're drifting in and out of awareness. Plus, you just called me Méngméng instead of Mysty." Méngméng flicked the light away again. "I think you should see one of the medics, too."

"Not until I know the others are all right, Mysty. I'm the female alpha now. I'm in charge, and I must keep my clan safe."

"You couldn't have prevented this if you had tried, Jade," Méngméng sighed, putting the light pen away.

"Actually, Mysty, I... I could have. Helen... Helen warned me. She told me that there was danger if we went to the airport. She... She tried to warn me, and I wouldn't listen."

Méngméng took a step back, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "You knew... She warned you, and you... Goddamn it, Jade! All of this could have been prevented if you weren't so busy hating on her! Do you not see what you've done by being so close-minded?!" she snarled, bracing her paws to hit her.

"Do you think I don't know that?! Do you think I wanted this to happen?!"

"You had the chance to warn everyone! Now four of us are dead, and you put my mate and son in danger! Do you have any idea what the others are going to say if they find out?!"

"I know damn well what they're going to say when they-" Jade paused, blinking. "Wait, did you say 'if'? You're not going to tell them?"

"No. I may be furious with you, but I'm not going to rat you out. You're the alpha female. It's your job to come clean with them, not for me to tell them the truth. I won't say a word. That being said, don't think I'm going to forgive you so easily. And before you say anything, I know Helen should have told someone else, but instead she told you. I'm going to blame her just as much as you."

"I figured as much." Jade shook her head, sighing. "Hit me later if you want. I don't care."

"Maybe I will. Right now, though, our boys are still trapped. They are trying to cut a hole big enough for Fred. I hear that out of them all, he's in the best shape. Probably all that fat." She didn't say it to be mean, though. She just hoped that the others were not as badly hurt as she had feared. "Let's sit here and wait."

Jade nodded, taking a seat on the slope, finally allowing Méngméng to check on her nose and to see if she had other injuries.

"I think you just bloodied it, to be honest," she said a little while later. "You may have a slight case of whiplash, too, and your front teeth are loose, but you can have that fixed at the dentist. Other than that, I'm giving you a clean bill of health. Take it easy, though."

Jade looked up at her somberly. "Mysty... How am I going to tell them?"

"You'll find a way. You have to. Don't dwell on it now. But do not expect me to give you words of comfort. I'm still pissed. Once I know that Alec is okay, I may start to forgive you and Helen. But if he's dead, I will never, ever, talk to you again."

Jade didn't reply, instead focusing her gaze on the bus. "There's Fred." She breathed a sigh of relief when she found him up and walking. "Good ol' Fred."

"Jade!" Fred started climbing up the slope as best he could, digging his paws in deep as he came up and sat beside them, pulling them both into his arms. "You're alright!"

Jade managed a small smile as she hugged him back, sinking into the soft cushion of his belly. "I'm glad you're all right. Are the others... Are they alive?"

"They were all speaking, but I don' know 'bout injuries. I think I landed on one of 'em. Zeb, I think." He turned to Méngméng, noting the distress on her face. "I didn' mean ta!"

"I know you didn't," she whispered. "I know. He's alive, though, right?"

Fred nodded. "But he said he couldn' feel anythang."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "No... No, no, no... Please..."

The big bear held her, letting her cry. His gaze was only pulled away minutes later when he saw the convertible. "Is that... No..."

"They were thrown, Fred," Jade murmured. "They're... They're alive. Tennessee and Trixie."

He turned to look at her. "Zak?"

"He... He didn't make it." She looked away, drawing her hood over her eyes.

"O-Oh..." Fred looked down. "What about the others? Anyone else not make it?" he asked softly.

"Three."

"Who?"

"Allison, Norbert, and... and Beary." Jade pulled her legs up and hid her face in her arms, listening to him let out pained cries. Fred crying was one of the worst things she had ever heard. He was so easygoing and gentle, and never cried, so hearing him now was devastating.

Méngméng kept as straight a face as she could as she watched Henry finally being lifted out on a basket stretcher. His left arm and shoulder were wrapped up in a thick bandage. His head, too, was wrapped up, his facial fur caked with blood.

Out next, a few minutes later, came Ted, also on a stretcher, both his arms and upper body wrapped up to keep them immobilized. Méngméng overheard them say that both arms had been broken, along with a few ribs.

Normally Jade would have immediately gone over to him, making sure for herself that he was all right, but she forced herself to stay. She watched as Fred got up and went to him, and they both left in the same ambulance, Henry already gone in another.

Méngméng paced around, impatiently waiting on Zeb. What was taking so long?

Finally, the moment arrived, almost thirty minutes after Fred walked out, and she stumbled backwards, watching as he was carried out on a backboard, wearing a neck brace, and heavily bandaged. She couldn't see further injuries, but when she saw them load him into a helicopter, she knew it was bad. "Wait!" she yelled, running to catch up with them. She had to go with him!

Jade watched at Méngméng managed to get aboard, and silently thanked the powers that may be for Méngméng being a nurse.

She looked back to the bus. Where was Roadie? She glanced back over at the destroyed van, looking back away quickly when she saw that they had gotten at least Beary out at that point, laying him on the ground with a blanket covering him. More were working on getting Allison and Norbert extracted so they could all go to the coroner.

The she-bear forced herself up, and moved over to the still body that was out of the way. She knelt and lifted the blanket off of his face, letting her tears fall freely when she looked into the vacant eyes that were once so full of life and promise. He had a bright future ahead of him, after all the hell he'd gone through in the past two, and now... now it was gone.

"I'm so sorry... I'm so, so sorry..." she whispered, leaning down and rubbing his nose. "This is all my fault..." She allowed herself to cry for a good long while before straightening back up, lifting the blanket further, and reaching into his pocket, picking out the surprisingly not broken crystal paintbrush, and placing it in his paw, lifting his paw over his chest, and resting it over his heart next to the now-cut rod that was going through his lung. "May you be welcomed on _Ursaea_. May you find peace on your journey, and may Helen... May Helen take care of you better than I have." She didn't believe in such things as the afterlife, but for Beary... For Beary she would. She wanted to believe that he hadn't just died. Ceased to exist.

"No one can hurt you anymore," she whispered, kissing his forehead and using her fingers to close his eyes. "I love you, kid..."

She sat there, talking softly to him, sharing memories, and just allowing herself to show her utter sorrow. She stayed as the firemen extracted Allison and Norbert's bodies, laying them beside Beary and covering them as well, which was just as well, for as soon as Jade saw the broken head that Allison sustained, she threw up.

After emptying her stomach, she crawled back over and immediately offered her apologies to them, wishing she could do more than just say sorry. She promised that Dex and Roxi would take care of Kristina. That Kristina would be raised with love. That if Dex and Roxi needed anything, she'd be there for them.

Nearly two hours had passed.

"Ma'am? We have to load them up now. They'll be taken to the city morgue," a new person said.

Jade looked up, ears lowering when she saw on his shirt that he was one of the coroners. "Take... Take care of them. They're friends."

"We will, ma'am. Please go and see the medics. You look like you've been banged up, too." He gave her a kind smile and helped her up, directing her towards help.

She glanced back only once, watching as the trio was loaded into body bags and placed in a car.

She then went in search of a ride to the hospital. She had to make sure that no one else had died. Only then could she leave. For good.

 _.~*Tainted Melodies*~._

Roland Morgue was a quiet, peaceful place in downtown Nashville, on the corner of 4th and Floyd Boulevard. It had a nice brick front and a rather plain sign. Right next door was the Breyer Hospital, where the surviving victims of a recent fatal car crash were residing. The hospital and Roland shared a tunnel running from the basement of the hospital to the morgue for easier transportation of bodies.

Dr. Felicity Ramsey was head coroner of Roland, and her assistant, Dr. Keith Bard, were bringing in the casualties of the recent wreck, their hearts saddened at the loss of two children.

"I hope they find rest," Dr. Bard stated as he helped lift the final body bag onto the slab in the main morgue. All four bodies were lined up in a row so they could be properly removed from the bags and stored.

"I'm sure they will, Keith. Do not be so sensitive, though. We have to be above that." Dr. Ramsey began working on the first victim, an infant of a very young age. "Poor thing. Just started at life. Flung from the car. Died at scene." She began marking on a tag as her assistant carefully lifted the cub out of the bag and over to the freezer. She then attached the tag onto one of the toes and closed the door.

They then began with the humans, removing the rods and taking photos once their clothes were cut away. A full autopsy would be done in the next week.

"Wait, look at this, doctor," Keith interrupted, looking at the head of the redhead woman. "This is not from a rod. I've never seen an accident do this. It looks like a gunshot."

"Hm?" Felicity moved closer to him, taking a careful look. "That does looks like a bullet wound," she stated, looking at the hole in the forehead. She carefully turned the head, frowning at the rigor mortis that was setting in. "The back of her head is blown off. Brain mush... This is not from a car crash. Make a note. I think perhaps we are looking at homicide. Perhaps this entire crash happened to cover it up."

"That's what I was thinking. We'll have to ask the police covering the crash," Keith stated, jotting down notes.

"Let's get her put away. Tomorrow we'll take a further look, when her body is easier to move."

Finally, they moved over the last bag, unzipping it and finding the body staring at them.

"It's unsettling seeing them staring as we open the bag," Keith muttered. "It's like they're still alive."

"Is this the healers?"

"No, why would this be the healers?" Felicity asked, looking at her assistant. "Wait, healers?"

"I didn't say that!" Keith responded, looking confused.

"I did. I think I should be near the healers. I'm in a lot of pain."

Slowly, both doctor's looked down at the white-faced bear cub in confusion. His eyes seemed to be staring at them. His chest rose and fell, and he blinked a few times, eyes flashing many colors.

"Please?" the corpse asked. "I really don't want this body to die."

The coroners screamed.


	3. Chapter Two

**Enjoy chapter two of Book IV - Tainted Melodies!**

* * *

 **.~*Chapter Two*~.**

The moment Jade arrived at the hospital, she was seated in a waiting room, surrounded by other individuals waiting on news of their loved ones from other ailments. Normally, she might have tried communicating, anything to break the silence of the waiting room. The numbness she felt inside was choking her. She glanced down at her almost dead cell phone, and wiggled one of her loose teeth quietly, waiting for a phone call back from either Dex or Roxi. On her way to the hospital, she had left Dex a voicemail.

The three surviving children from the accident had been taken to be checked out, and as far as she was aware, they were still with the doctor's, or were being taken care of by a nurse. She wanted to ask about them, but at the same time she couldn't bear to see them. Not after what happened to Zak. Briefly, she wondered if Social Services had been contacted, and hoped they had not. She did not need that nightmare right then and there.

She also wondered what had become of Méngméng, Fēnglì, and Rādhikā, and if any others had died from their injuries. By far, Zeb seemed to have been the worst injuries from what she had seen. How was Ted doing? Where was Fred? She had thought he wasn't injured. They'd gotten separated when they had gotten rides to the hospital.

How could she have been so foolish? Thinking back to how sickly Helen had been when she'd given her warning, and how Jade had ignored it and walked right over her as she coughed up blood, Jade now felt disgusted with herself. And now four people were dead. If only she had listened and not let her pride prevent her from behaving like an adult instead of a spiteful child!

Her head began to spin again, and she put her paw to it, groaning slightly. Was this a real concussion or what it just payback for not listening? Was Helen laughing at her, or was she in mourning for trusting the wrong she-bear? She'd be right, though. Helen never should have trusted her. Had Helen warned her on purpose, knowing she wouldn't say anything? Or had she been unable to warn anyone else due to getting sick so suddenly? Jade didn't know, and she wasn't sure she wanted to.

What would happen if the others knew the truth? She'd be ostracized. An outcast without a family to call her own. Was this really the end of the group? The family? Had she destroyed them?

Her phone ringing pulled her from her dark thoughts and into sorrowful ones as she looked at who was calling and found it to be Dex. Taking a deep breath, she answered. "Hello?"

" _Hey, Jade! What's going on? You sounded urgent on the phone. Did Tempest do something? Is she all right? Must be missing us. Tell her we'll be home soon and to be good for Grandma and Grandpa, and that next time we go to Florida, we're taking her with us. Everyone, actually. I think it'd be a fun trip from what I've seen so far. So did Beary turned everyone the colors of the rainbow? Is that why you're calling? Can this wait until we get to the hotel?_ "

Jade took a deep breath, only half-listening to him. He sounded so happy, and now she was going to ruin that joy. "Dex, no... No, it can't wait. You need to come home as soon as possible. There... There's been an accident."

The line went silent for a moment, making her think that the signal had dropped, but then Dex's voice spoke softly. " _What? An accident? What do you mean? Is everyone all right?_ "

"No..." She closed her eyes a moment. "Your parents... They didn't make it, Dex. Nor did Beary or Zak. It was... horrific. Might... Might be on the news, but I wanted you to hear it from me before you saw it on TV."

The line went silent, save for a few choked sobs. Roxi's voice came over the line, asking what was going on, and Jade explained to the best of her ability. The phone call ended with Roxi promising they'd be on the next flight back.

Jade sighed as she closed her phone and put it back on her pocket, almost willing it to ring again. No such luck. She sat in silence for a few more minutes before her gaze was drawn to an older couple that had just walked in and was speaking to the front desk. Both appeared to be grizzlies, or at least one was a grizzly and the other was a brown bear – honestly, there wasn't much difference between the two breeds other than size, and many said they were really the same breed – and dressed in what looked very expensive clothing.

Jade found herself wondering what such rich bears were doing in a hospital instead of a private clinic, but her ears perked when she heard them asking for a Henry Dixon Taylor and Beary Taylor. She watched as they were directed to the waiting room, and was surprised to find them sitting across from her. Then again, there wasn't anywhere else they could sit as the waiting room was packed.

"William, I'm sure they're all right. Henry's going to be fine, and Beary I'm sure will be, too. He's a tough little kid," the female said.

"Gwyneira, please. They're making us wait here because something's wrong. They'll be calling us into a doctor's office to tell us two generations of our family have been killed. The family line's coming to an end," William replied gruffly, though his tone spoke of worry. "They could have at least given us our own waiting room."

Jade scowled. "Excuse me, you pompous ass? I'm so sorry that your son and grandson were in a car accident that resulted in the deaths of four people, including your grandson and heir. You don't need to act like a jackass and be better than everyone when even now you're equal."

"Excuse me?" William turned his gaze upon the black she-bear. "Who do you think you are to talk to me in that manner?"

"Jade Falco, female alpha of this ridiculously accident-prone family called _The Country Bears_ , which includes the Taylors as well," she stated simply.

"So they've finally chosen a new female alpha, eh? Never thought Henry would allow it."

"It wasn't his choice," she responded with a growl, almost adding that it had been Helen's decision, but backed down from the thought.

"Then whose was it? Helen was the last voice of reason they had. I swear that lot wouldn't have lasted as long as they did without her. It's a tough job and they aren't the brightest bunch – especially when they were younger. Money hungry later on, and she was in charge of their accounts, and they accused her of stealing at one point – which was proved to be false," William growled. "You don't look up to the task. At least Helen had class and dignity, and didn't treat complete strangers like crap. She kept herself composed in public. Had the decency to keep her trap shut when she shouldn't speak."

Gwyneira sighed, listening to her husband. "William, please leave it be. This poor bear has obviously been through a traumatic experience. Leave her be and stop comparing her to Helen. Let the dead stay dead except in joyful memories."

"I wish Helen had stayed dead," Jade muttered half-heartedly, earning confused glances from the elder Taylors. She frowned a moment, listening to William chew her out for her comments, and blinked. His voice sounded familiar. Where had she heard it before? She'd never met him, no, so how did she know his voice? And why did neither of them react to her saying that Beary was dead? Did they simply not care?

"Ma'am, I apologize for my husband. His nerves are frazzled and he is... is not thinking clearly." Gwyneira flinched under the harsh gaze her husband gave her, along with his claws digging into her knee, where her skirt did not cover. She gave no indication that it was hurting her, but Jade could see how sharp the larger bear's claws were, as well as see that they were drawing a little blood.

"That is _enough_ , Gwyneira. Behave yourself and do not embarrass me," William growled.

Jade's eyes narrowed and her lip curled with disgust as she looked between the two. ' _Henry, if these really are your parents... geez. What kind of life did you have to make you not even mention them? These can't be the grandparents Beary went on and on about. I can see already that the father is an abusive asshole and the mother's a weakling... no, not a weakling. Stop that, Jade. She's just another victim too afraid to speak out against her abuser. I wonder if Henry was the same way? Abused by him. Or am I reading too much into this? It's probably nothing. He might just be tense._ ' Despite trying to reassure herself that she wasn't seeing this abuse between an older couple, she couldn't shake the feeling, nor did she want to interfere. She was tired of this. Of everything.

"Maybe you should take your dog back home," Jade retorted before she could stop herself. "The hospital does not allow un-housebroken animals in the building, no matter how nicely they dress."

"How dare you talk to my wife that way!"

"Oh, you misunderstand me. I was talking about you," Jade spat towards William. "You didn't even ask about your grandson, though I said he was..." Her eyes widened as she looked past them towards the hallway. There was no way she was seeing what she was.

Being pushed on a gurney, a color-changing Beary Taylor was in the ER wing, being wheeled into a room. A nurse followed behind, talking with a male orderly, speaking on how the dead had come back to life.

Jade briefly wondered why they weren't asking why he was shifting colors, and came to realize that perhaps only she could see it happening. How freaky.

"Mr. Taylor?" The nurse wandered over. "We have some personal artifacts found with your grandson." She passed him a bag and left.

William frowned and opened the bag, rifling through it, much to Jade's disgust. "Here's the ring we gave him," he spoke, looking at the engraved class ring with the Taylor emblem on it. "Invited into the family, and a few hours later this happens." He put the ring back in the bag and pulled out the next object – Beary's crystal paintbrush. "What is a child doing with something like this?" William studied it curiously. "Flawlessly made, though. I don't think I've ever seen a crystal paintbrush before, and you know we have quite the collection, Gwyneira, from all over the world. I wonder where he got it."

"Why don't you pass that here?" Jade asked, holding out her paw. "It was a gift from his mother, and I doubt she'd want someone like you touching it."

William's eyes narrowed. "Helen got this for him? Strange. What did she do to get it? Work three jobs in order to be able to afford it for him like she had with hers and Henry's first Christmas?"

Jade frowned. Three jobs? She actually had a mature mental state? "No... She didn't buy it. She brought it."

William rolled his eyes. "Probably from her mother, Evelyn. It would be something she'd have for her pilgrimages."

Jade raised an eyebrow, not sure what he was talking about. Then again, she didn't care. "Just pass it here, please. I will make sure he gets it back." She held out her paw, feeling the pad heating up in proximity of the paintbrush.

William glared at her, pulling it towards himself, and blinked in surprise when his wife plucked it from his paws and passed it to her. "Gwyneira!"

"She needs something to keep her calm, William. Beary mentioned Jade to me before. He respects her greatly, and I'm sure his injuries have upset her very much. Please, allow her to have just one thing," Gwyneira reasoned.

Jade's ears lowered a bit as she took the paintbrush. She had a feeling that the she-bear's actions would earn her an injury, but she couldn't speak out. What if she were wrong about it? She was filled with self-doubt, but she could feel a gentle pulse from the paintbrush, soothing her mind and heart, at least a little.

"We will talk about this later," William warned to his wife. "Don't try taking anything else from me, girl. This is the property of the Taylor family." He closed the bag tightly.

Jade ignored him as she twisted the paintbrush in her fingers, smiling a bit as a few happy memories filled her. Her dark thoughts brightened into joy until reality crashed in around her. She was back in the hospital, her happy memories gone and replaced by harshness. The soothing left her, as if the paintbrush had run out of power. Her pads had grown cold as well. Silently, she placed the paintbrush in Méngméng's purse, since she had managed to grab it with her cell phone from her totaled car before leaving for the hospital.

"Ms. Falco?"

Jade glanced up. "That's me." She looked at the orderly who was speaking to her.

"Follow me. You are wanted by one of our doctors."

Jade frowned nervously. Were they going to tell her that Ted had died? Gathering up what little she had, she followed the orderly away from the two bears and down the hallway. They finally stopped in front of door with a fogged window and words painted on the window stating STAFF ONLY.

The orderly left, and Jade entered the room, glancing around. The scents of Erik, Kristina, and Tempest filled her nostrils, along with Tasha. Jade found the three young ones fast asleep in a large crib, cradled in blankets, and Tasha sitting on a wide windowsill crying. "Tasha? You okay?" She forced herself to ignore the younglings.

The other black she-bear, dressed in a hospital uniform, looked back at her friend sadly. "Jade... You're all right... I... Sorry, I'm a mess..."

Jade went over to her immediately, pulling her into a hug. Her friend had lost a nephew and possibly her older sister and brother-in-law. Maybe even her niece. The damage done to the O'Neal family was horrendous. "I'm so sorry..."

Tasha got off the windowsill, sat on the couch, and curled up against her friend. "I'm going to lose her... I'm going to lose her!" she cried, clinging to her.

"Your sister?"

"Sister, brother, and mother," she murmured in response. "Lost one already and I'm going to lose the others..."

Jade blinked. Mother? What was she talking about?

"All my life, she's been there for me. She paid more attention to me than who was supposed to be my mother. She loved me, cared for me, and gave up her vanity for me."

Jade frowned. "Vanity?"

"You wouldn't know, but the horrors she went through to feed and clothe me..."

The older bear's eyes widened. "You know the truth?"

Tasha glanced at her and nodded, surprised. "That she was a woman of the night? That she sacrificed so much for me? Yes, I've been aware for a while, thanks to our 'mother', who spilled the beans to me when I went home to get my birth certificate so I could properly apply for medical school. It was then that... that I learned..." Her ears lowered. "My birth mother was not who I was raised to believe she was."

Jade blinked. "You were adopted? But Trixie said..."

"Trixie lied to you to protect me. See, she... Trixie is my mother. She gave birth to me when she was ten."

"Oh, bullshit. Your mother was lying. Trixie wasn't even raped until she was thirteen or fourteen."

"Yes, because no one can distort the facts," Tasha growled. "Jade, what I am saying is true. It was going to be quite the scandal. It was an uncle that fathered me, but he died mysteriously shortly after. Trixie's parents made her keep the pregnancy, not wanting to waste the new life, and decided to pretend that I was there's. To hide the shame of what had happened, I suppose. Our 'mother' did reveal to me that she was indeed raped again shortly after we moved to the big city, when she was thirteen."

Her ears lowered. "It explains so much. Why I was hated so much and abused. Trixie doesn't know all of it. She only find out just hours before she took me away and left, raising me in a different city. Her name's on my birth certificate. One of them, at least. There were two made, and one was a forgery. I... A decade ago, I paid for a maternity test. She didn't know about it, and... and it came back positive, Jade."

Jade's eye narrowed. She could feel the respect she had for Trixie slipping away. "And she kept this all a secret. Denounced you. I..." She stopped when she realized Tasha was glaring harshly at her. "What?"

"I don't care that she didn't tell me. She had every reason not to. To protect herself. To protect Jewel. To protect me. How do you think everyone would treat her if they knew the truth about us? You're already treating her differently." Tasha pulled away from her. "I never should have told you. I haven't even told James. I'm sure of at least one other person who knows. Trixie probably told her the truth years ago..."

"Helen?" Jade's ears lowered as she thought about the she-bear. Of course Helen would know, with her nose in everyone's business.

"I owe her a lot... She and Henry didn't have to allow Trixie and I to join them in the cramped bus and go on tour with them. They didn't have to give us a cabin to live in. They didn't have to give Trixie a job and help pay for my schooling. Yet, they did. I owe her as much as I owe Trixie. She saved our lives. Saved my sister... Yes, I will continue to call her that, as it is most likely her wish and would be less confusing for everyone. She saved my sister from having to whore herself out to feed me."

"I thought Tennessee was the one who did that."

"He found us, yes, but he wasn't the higher authority. Henry and Helen were, and they allowed us to stay. The original idea was to take us to a new state and city to live."

"Well, they did. They took you to Pendleton, Tennessee."

"Like I said, that wasn't the original idea." Tasha smiled fondly at the memories. "And of course, Trixie made sure that I was well taken care of. She always made sure to take care of me... Taught me to climb trees in a city park. We'd watch the sunset together before she'd get ready for the night..." Her ears lowered at the thought.

"And what about when she left Jewel with you? How'd you feel about that?"

"Not angry, if that's what you think. I owed her so much. It was the least I could do, taking in the daughter she could acknowledge. Am I jealous? No. She had the ability now to have a child, but she couldn't."

"So she told me. She made the right decision in leaving Jewel with you." Jade sighed, frowning. Why was Tasha telling her this? Didn't she realize she had enough on her plate?

"I love my sister with all my heart. I'd do anything for her – including give her a stern talking to when need be. Sometimes, I wondered how things would have been if she hadn't cared about me at all, and I realized that nothing in my life would have been the same. I wouldn't have been a doctor. I wouldn't have a husband and my two wonderful children. A beautiful niece... a brother... brother-in-law..." Fresh tears gathered in her eyes as she broke down once more, and Jade did not hesitate in holding her.

It was about an hour before the door opened and in walked three individuals that Jade recognized as Méngméng, Fēnglì, and Rādhikā. Tasha was resting on the couch, trying to keep herself from crying further.

The trio, meanwhile, were in high spirits – causing Jade to wonder if they might be high – and sat on the other available chairs, talking quietly amongst themselves before noticing the younglings, who were just beginning to wake from their short naps.

Méngméng got up and knelt down by the crib, studying them. "How'd you manage to survive, huh? Little miracles you are," she murmured before speaking softly in her native tongue, ears lowered.

Fēnglì watched his mother with a heavy heart, knowing that she was just putting up a face, trying to be strong. Her mate [his father] was in critical condition, and neither Méngméng or Fēnglì knew if he'd make it with the injuries he'd endured. Fēnglì didn't know what they'd do if he didn't make it. What about the Seillean clan his father was telling him about now that he was Chief? What were they to do? His mother would shut herself down and perhaps even go insane upon losing him if it happened. Fēnglì didn't want to see her broken ever again. He'd witnessed it once, when she was told she was to marry Lì Měng, and it wasn't until recently that he realized just why she had acted in such a way.

Rādhikā looked to her betrothed with a silent sigh. She knew he was in pain, and she did not know what to do for him. No kind words could change what had happen, and what would be the point to offer up words of hope when there was no guarantee that Zeb Zoober would survive? She feared her lover would resent her gentle words, and thus resent her. What could she do? She wanted to comfort him, but what could she do? "Fēnglì?" she asked softly, not wanting to cause a scene. " _Jaaneman, krpaya mujhase baat karo. Main tumhaare baare mein chintit hoon_."

He glanced over at her, knowing she was asking him if he was all right. That he'd talk to her. So he responded back in Hindi, which she was speaking, though his dialect was still a little rough, and told her that he was scared about losing his father. That even he barely knew him, he didn't want him taken away.

Rādhikā answered back in the same language, telling him that she was sure he would be all right. That he was strong, healthy, and young. To not fear, and to have faith. If not in the gods, then in his father.

Fēnglì mumbled in response and allowed her to wrap her arms around him, and allowed himself to cry on her shoulder.

Méngméng glanced back, her heart heavy, but said nothing about the show of emotion. She only wished she could show herself like he could. That she wasn't afraid to cry in front of an audience. In fact, only three people had ever seen her truly cry – Lì Měng, Zeb, and Jade. No one else. And now that there were more there, she didn't dare. Her steely mask reigned supreme.

She looked back down at the young ones, thoughts of a second child for her and Zeb popping into her mind. Her fingers then dipped down to her belly to the unborn cub she carried. The child that her Alec didn't know she had. That no one knew she had. She had hidden it well out of fear. Last time she had admitted she was pregnant, she'd been shot. She lost her lover. She was trapped for years in a state of unhappiness and loneliness she could not escape. Was she going to tell anyone she was pregnant? Not a chance in hell. She'd learned from her mistake. And if they found out, then they found out. But she was not going to say a word.

But what if she lost it anyway? She was bound to – her mother said so. She wasn't supposed to carry a pregnancy to term because of her body. Because of how damaged it was. And yet, here she was, nearly three months along. She was even showing, which is why she had been wearing loose clothes or multiple layers. She knew she needed to see a doctor, just to make sure everything was all right, but was too frightened to know. What if she had lost it? Shaking, she stepped back from the crib.

"Mysty? Are you all right?" Jade questioned, glancing over at her friend worriedly. "Have a seat. Were you hurt?" She abandoned Tasha on the couch and went over to the slightly taller panda, putting her paws on Méngméng's shoulders. "You're shaking like a leaf! Talk to me."

"No... _Wǒ bù gǎn zài zhèlǐ fāyán, wǒ de péngyǒu. Wǒ zài tài duō de tòngkǔ. Qǐng ràng wǒ yīgèrén dài yī huǐ._ " She attempted to shrug off her friend and walk out, but Jade wouldn't give up and followed her out the door, knowing Fēnglì and Rādhikā would help Tasha with the babies.

"Myst. Myst! Méngméng, talk to me, damn it! What's wrong?" Jade caught her in the hallway and pulled her off to the side, out of the way. "If this is about Zeb, stop your worrying. He's strong and won't fall so easily. Go ahead and cry if you must."

"You don't understand... You don't... I..." She put her paws on her belly and turned away from her.

Jade blinked. "Are... Are you pregnant?" she whispered, eyes widening. "How far along?"

Méngméng's eyes lowered. That had been fast. "Three... Three months now."

"Does Zoober know?" At Méngméng's shaking head, the black she-bear frowned. "Why not?"

"Why get his hopes up? I will lose it anyway," she murmured, her ears flattening and demeanor shifting. How had Jade figured it out so fast? Why now? She hadn't wanted anyone to know, and now they would because Jade was a loudmouth.

"Oh, Mysty... I won't say a word, all right? I promise. I'll keep your secret. I won't like it, but I'll keep it. But, let me ask you this: What if you carry to term? What are you going to do then?"

Méngméng's eyes lowered. "I... I'll figure it out. It won't happen, though, so why bother thinking about it and getting my hopes up?"

"Talking like that is going to _make_ you miscarry, sister," Jade warned, suddenly feeling fearful for her friend. With the stress of what happened and Méngméng's talk about leaving for China, Jade wasn't sure _what_ might happen. What if Méngméng purposely miscarried because she was an unwed mother and Empress-to-be? ' _That could happen. It'd be such a scandal, and she's kept the secret of her relationship with Zoober safe thus far – if she were found to be pregnant or recently had a baby and was unmarried, she'd be forever shamed in that stupid honor-bound culture of her family. They'll fry her alive and make her more of an outcast than she already feels she is. I have to help her keep the stress down low before she loses it, even if my own mind is currently a mess from all that's happened._

' _Maybe that Taylor jackass was right – maybe Helen was stronger than me. She probably wouldn't have been acting like I am now. She'd probably be going around to each room, learning all she could from the doctors, and keeping the family informed. Giving those that needed it a shoulder to cry on. Keeping everyone together and as safe as possible. Hell, I bet if she had that information, she wouldn't have ignored it and let all this... utter BS to happen. I screwed up so badly... She never should have made me alpha female. Why did she? What have I done to deserve it? Especially from her? I've ridiculed her, hated her, and sometimes even tormented her. Even kept Beary away from her. What kind of leader does that? Not a good one; just one who wants what's best for herself and not others. Someone like me._

' _Helen... Ted told me the other day that she gave it her all. Allowed everyone into her heart and didn't send them away. Took in those that needed it, helped those in need, and sent away those who mean her and those she loves true ill. I just pushed everyone away. Hell, unless it was Ted that was sick, I wouldn't even help take care of anyone else. Not even Fred. Ted even told me of the time Zoober had gotten very ill. No one even knew if he'd make it. He was just a cub when it happened, and the band just getting off the ground. It was because of the incident with the bullies that left him tied to a dead tree in a heavy rainstorm. The doctors couldn't treat him because there was no known medical history, so Helen used what remedies she knew of and was taught by her mother. She stayed by his side for a day and night until his fever broke. A week later, she also got sick, but at least she kept him alive._ '

Jade pondered for a bit, staring blindly down the hallway. ' _Could I ever measure up to her? Why should I want to? She was a prudish bitch! She comes back from the dead like a frickin zombie, and no one freaks out. They all just accept her and push me to the side. Until she came along, I was in charge, and all that changed... It is kinda funny, though, how they bypassed Trixie in favor of me. You would think that she'd be next in line for this so-called job. Maybe it's because I put up such a fight against her? Treated her like such crap without getting to know her? Maybe she didn't fight back because she didn't want to tear the group apart..._

' _Ted's right; I do tend to jump to conclusions without knowing the full story. But I can see people for what they are – I know Helen's a Tueri. I could see the wings she hid. I could see the lines on her body from how she died, and I'm horrified. No wonder she's so effed up. Being skinned alive? But how did_ that _not end up in the papers?! Was it simply too gruesome and horrific? Or did she use her own Vatem abilities to change what people were seeing? She did say she didn't want Beary remembering... Good gods, does that mean he actually saw the whole thing happening?! Cubs don't run away from danger, they climb a tree when frightened!_ ' Her ears flattened as she took in the horror of her discovery.

' _Oh, I don't know what to do. Should I tell Henry the truth? Helen did say that her killer was free and hadn't gone to jail. That this Adam Jackson wasn't fully responsible. But, then... Who was the killer? In that memory, the voice sounded familiar to her – as if she knew him. Family, perhaps? It couldn't have been Henry, that's for sure. However, now that I think about it, I think it's familiar, too... Almost as if I can hear it right now?_ ' She blinked, focusing on the hallway around her, noting the two Taylor elders walked towards them, the male arguing loudly with his wife.

"We are taking our great-grandson and leaving. They have no word on Henry or Beary, so there is no point in us staying until they do. Not with these commoners. I don't want to get sick," William growled, walking past Jade and Méngméng without a second look.

Gwyneira followed obediently, not voicing how much she'd rather stay and wait for news on her beloved son and grandson. Though, she did indeed want to meet her great-grandson very much.

Méngméng blinked, studying them. "Who are they?"

"Henry's parents," Jade muttered, shaking her head. "The mother's all right, but the father leaves something to be desired. Fairly certain he's abusive. Might be why Henry rarely speaks of them. He seemed surprised that day they came home from his and Beary's outing to their place."

Méngméng shrugged. "I think they're going back to the staff room. Wait, did they say they're taking Erik?"

"Not if I can help it," Jade gruffed, marching back to the room.

"I don't think you could stop him. They're all he has, currently," Méngméng muttered, following close behind, glad for the distraction from her own worries.

By the time they entered the room, they found Erik being coddled in Gwyneira's arms, while William stood back, judging the sight before him.

"Excuse me, but what the hell do you think you're doing? You have no right to pick him up. Did you even ask permission?" Jade questioned, glaring at the she-bear.

The smaller brown bear frowned and shook her head. "I know I should have, dear, but I wanted to finally meet my great-grandchild. Beary told us so much about him and his mother. He's a darling little angel."

"She has every right to pick him up. More than you do," William sneered. "He's biologically related to us, and as both his parents and grandparents are out of commission, we're all he has to take care of him. If my grandson dies, Erik is the next heir to the Taylor fortune. Simple as that."

"Oh, so you're not taking him because you love him. You're taking him to protect your investment. Right." Jade scowled darkly at the larger bear.

"To be frank, I'm surprised he, too, came out normal-looking, considering how his father was made. It would seem that I was right in that boy actually coming out normal."

"William!" Gwyneira gasped, shocked that her husband had said such a thing.

Jade blinked and glanced at Méngméng. "What are you talking about? What do you mean, 'how he was made'?" Méngméng questioned.

"Shush, Gwyneira. What, you didn't think he was conceived normally, do you? Considering that his mother lost her tubes due to a bad pregnancy that burst them in her early twenties?" William raised an eyebrow. "He was made in a test tube, for Pete's sake. Don't tell me Henry never said anything, considering that's why he was so far in debt."

" ** _William_**! Do you know no shame?!" Gwyneira was furious. How dare he bring that up? As gently as possible, she passed Erik to Jade and dragged her husband out of the room.

Jade frowned, a perplexed expression on her face. So Gwyneira did have the balls stand up to William. Interesting. She glanced down at Erik for a moment, making sure he was all right – the cub was confused, but fine – and then looked around the room at the others.

"Test tube?" Tasha murmured, surprised. "So he was a child of IVF. I thought something odd was going on. About twenty years of no children, and then out of the blue they have success around the time that IVF first succeeded?"

Fēnglì frowned, confused. "But back when that first 'came out', so to speak, wasn't it considered unholy?"

"That's right; it was. And, you know, she always seemed to be a super religious creature," Jade muttered.

"Oh, shush. She wasn't. She knows her stuff, but she's not super religious, Jade, cut it out," Tasha growled. "That was her mother, not her. Helen was just a helpful gal who guided your way if you needed it. Nothing more."

Méngméng agreed, but didn't say anything further. She was too busy studying Jade's expression to care what was going on. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm just... worried. That's all. They've been gone awhile. Oh, wait..." She looked at the door as it opened, revealing William walking in. Behind him, standing quietly in the hallway with her head lowered, was Gwyneira.

"Give me the boy and we'll be on our way," William growled with a dangerous expression in his eye.

The black she-bear scowled at him and looked down at the child of two of her favorite cubs warily. Did she dare give him to this bear who may or may not be abusive? But that look in his eyes... She wasn't sure what to do. She remembered the few times her father had gotten that look in his eyes. While he'd never done anything to her, the look had still frightened her badly. She didn't want to give Erik up, but there was no other choice. She couldn't take him – not after what happened with Zak. And they still had the other two infants to deal with. Plus, it wasn't like she could stop him from taking the cub.

"Fine. But I'm giving him to Gwyneira, not you." Jade huffed and walked past the taller bear out into the hallway. "Gwyneira? You take good care of this cub. I helped raise his parents, and when they get through this, they'll be very upset if he's hurt."

Gwyneira looked up, revealing the beginnings of a swollen eye, and nodded. "He will be cared for, Ms. Falco. I wish the best for you and your family." She took the infant and cuddled him against her chest.

Jade bit her lip upon seeing the swelling, but said nothing. It'd have been worse if she had. "You be a good boy, Erik. I'll see you soon." She kissed his forehead and backed away, growling when she was bumped into by William.

"You need to learn your place," William said before wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders and walked down the hallway away from her.

Jade stood there, watching them for a long time, before sighing and going back into the room, sitting heavily on the couch. She wanted to go home. She wanted to figure out why his voice sounded familiar. She wanted everyone to live who hadn't yet died. She wanted...

' _Wait. His voice... that phrase... '_ You need to learn your place _'. Whoever killed Helen said that right as he was cutting into her... Oh, dear gods._ ' Her eyes widened and filled with horror.

She had just met Helen's murderer.

* * *

 **Please review!**


	4. Chapter Three

**Enjoy chapter three of Book IV - Tainted Melodies!**

* * *

 **.~*Chapter Three*~.**

Jade stood in the room, fuming and shocked, not sure what to do or say. She was aware of others talking around her, but she didn't care. All her mind was focused on was everything that had happened that day. The crash, Tasha's revelation that Trixie was her mother, to Méngméng's pregnancy, and now that the Taylors had taken Erik, and add that to the fact that William Taylor had murdered Helen, her mind was spinning out of control...

And that's when everything went black.

...

" _Jade? Jade, honey, wake up. Come on, snap to it. Thattagirl._ "

The black she-bear blinked several times, glancing around. She found herself lying on the couch in the staff break room with several worried faces surrounding her. "Ugh, what happened?"

"Your circuits overheated and fried," Tasha responded, helping her to sit up. "At least, I'm going to assume that's what happened. How much do you remember? Méngméng, give her that glass of water."

Jade shook her head and sighed. She glanced around a little before realizing that some were missing. "Where's Fēnglì and Rādhikā? And the kids? Where are the kids?!"

"Relax!" Tasha ordered, keeping a firm grip on her shoulders. "They took them to my place for James to watch; after that, they're going to go pick up Dex and Roxi, who should be arriving at the airport at any time. They got lucky and were able to get on the next flight out of Orlando."

"Already? How long have I been out?"

"About thirty minutes. I know you don't have a concussion, but I think you had a bit of a breakdown. What set you off?"

"I, uh... I just realized something... horrible." Jade bit her lip. She couldn't tell Tasha of her suspicions – she had no proof of any of it, first of all. "Possibly horrible. I don't even know if it's true, but all this coming together on one day... You and Trixie's relationship, Méngméng's pregnancy... Oh, shit." She turned her head, flattening her ears when she heard Méngméng drop the mug of cool water, shattering it on the floor.

"Jade... You promised you... you promised you wouldn't say anything..." The she-panda didn't move or look back at her, leaving the only signs of her distress her flattened ears. " _Wǒ yīnggāi zhīdào gèng hǎo._ "

"Mysty, I didn't mean to... There's so much going on in my head right now... Please, I'm sorry. Damn it, this is just too much. Too much going on. I don't even know how Ted is, and I... I'm scared. I can't cope with this. I shouldn't have been made the alpha female. Helen never should have chosen me. I'm not cut out for this."

"Whoa, whoa!" Tasha had her arms around her friend in an instant, supporting her before she fell to the floor. "Calm down. We're all in this together, and we're going to get through this together. Méngméng, since Jade accidentally revealed your secret, let me reveal mine. Trixie is not my sister, she's my mother."

Jade glanced at her friend, surprised she had just blurted that out, and then looked over to the she-panda that was slowly turning around to look at them.

"Your mother? But, how? I do not understand."

"It's a long story, but it's true. However, because I wish to keep her privacy, I respectfully ask that you do not say anything about us being related in that way. Just like the news of your condition will not leave this room. I swear it. But we cannot hold Jade to these standards at the moment. She's getting overwhelmed."

"But she's the alpha! She's supposed to know how to keep secrets!" Méngméng accused, furious and sad.

"I know that, but think on all that's happened. We're all overwhelmed. We're all scared. Squabbling amongst ourselves isn't going to do anything. We are the ladies of the family, and we have all been through hell. We are going to remain strong by depending on each other. There will be time to mourn later. Méngméng, let me clean up that mess. You sit here. Give the Campbells a call – I'm sure they would love to know about their nephew. Tonight, you are all going to stay at my place, and that includes you, Jade. You're not being left alone in this state. You call Big Al. I'm not sure if he's heard yet. I will call Kenya and Kaspian, as they, too, need to know."

Méngméng and Jade nodded, and together, they walked out of the room to find a couple of payphones.

 _.~*Tainted Melodies*~._

Dex stood in the doorway of his home, holding the key in his hand. He could almost hear his father welcoming him home, Beary playing on his guitar, and smell the cherry pie his Mom would be baking. Now there was nothing but silence. The home felt warm compared to the cool night, but at the same time it was cold. No life. Emptiness only.

He flicked on the light, illuminating the foyer. Everything looked the same. Shoes neatly set by the door, coats on the coatrack, and his father's briefcase laying on the table next to the rack. Years of family pictures donned the walls, yet as Dex looked at them, all he saw was his own, alone reflection.

He was aware that his wife was walking silently behind him, giving him his space, and he was grateful for that. He didn't want to breakdown at her touch. To whimper at her words of comfort. Everything was different now. Just that afternoon everyone had been happy and laughing together, and now, just after midnight on October 30th, 2005, Dex had returned to Nashville as an orphan.

The walls were decorated for Halloween, and Dex knew in the cabinet there were several bags of candy for the trick-or-treaters, and some homemade treats that his mother had prepared, such as colorful popcorn balls and Rice Krispy bars. Would he even be able to hand them out this year? Dex wasn't sure. He wasn't sure of anything, anymore. He knew that his parents had been planning on taking Kristina and Tempest trick-or-treating, and had made fairly cute Halloween costumes for them – a Cabbage Patch Kids box [which would fit over the stroller front], wig, and dress for Tempest, and a little pumpkin costume for Kristina.

Thinking about his baby sister, Dex halted in the middle of the foyer and closed his eyes. Kristina would never spend a Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day, or Easter with her parents. The crash had robbed her of those precious moments. Moments that he had fond memories of and that she would never experience for herself. That is, unless...

"I want to adopt Kristina. I'm... We're all she has left. If we can't afford the proper adoption, then we'll take guardianship of her. She and Tempest will grow up together. I won't let my grandparents or aunts take her. Aunt Mary's too busy, and Aunt Kathy's a bitch. And we're going to finish high school and graduate. We're going to go to college, using the money Mom and Dad saved for me, along with scholarships. If we don't go, we'll be stuck in dead-end jobs, and Tempest and Kristina will suffer for it. The money from Beary's grandparents will be used to take care of this place until we can fully afford to care for it. If we're careful, it'll work."

Roxi agreed, and Dex fell silent once more as he began walking again, picturing in his mind his absent family. His mother setting the table in the dining room, his father reading the newspaper in the living room, and Beary coming down the stairs filled with excitement about a new fact he'd learned about his favorite band.

Dex's stomach twisted into a large knot, it felt like, and his throat swelled as he fought back his sorrow. His chest hurt, and his eyes burned, but there were no tears. He clenched and unclenched his fists, unsure of what to do. He wanted to throw something. Break something. Yell, scream, and wail. Yet, he didn't. Couldn't. It was as if he were broken inside, going through the motions and thoughts automatically. He couldn't even generate tears.

Roxi reached out and slipped her fingers around his hand, giving it a squeeze and trying to remain strong for him. Her eyes were red and puffy from extensive crying. She couldn't tell him that everything was going to be okay when it wasn't going to be. He no longer had parents or a brother. Wait, yes he did. She remembered Fēnglì telling her that Beary had come back as Lazarus, but he was the only one. The others had stayed dead. Heck, she didn't even know if her own father was going to live. He had been pinned in the crash, and the injuries weren't looking good.

She had already called her mother and sisters, well, texted them as she'd been too upset to speak on the phone, and they were going to be coming out as soon as possible. She hoped they'd hurry, and briefly she wondered if they loved their father as much as she did. They never seemed to call him like she did. Or visit. Heck, he hadn't even been invited to either of her sisters' weddings! Their step-father had been invited, but not their biological one. Roxi wondered about this, confused and saddened when she realized that she, too, had been married without her father walking her down the aisle. Even at the "make-up" wedding they'd done, he hadn't walked her down the aisle – she'd walked with Dex.

If only she'd done things properly, then her father could have walked her down the aisle. Now, he would never get the chance. At least, however, she'd gotten the chance to have the father/daughter dance with him, something her sisters didn't get to do. She would treasure that dance always. And, unlike her sisters, she actually let her father meet his grandchild. She never knew for sure why they didn't like their birth father, but she didn't care. It just meant that Roadie was hers. If she lost him, she didn't know what to do. After all, she was the least loved of her sisters by their mother – not that she knew why.

"Honey? Perhaps we should go to bed. It's too late to pick up Kristina and Tempest from the Stones', where Fēnglì and Rādhikā took them before picking us up, and frankly, it's a good idea we take tonight to collect ourselves, as much as I want to see them," she murmured, glancing over at him. "First thing in the morning, we're going to go pick them up and bring them home. There's... We can't do it tonight. We'd just upset them even further." She expected Dex to argue with her, yell, or even throw something, but he didn't. He took off his shoes and wandered up the stairs. Listening to the sounds above her, she knew he'd gone into their room.

With a soft sigh, she went out to the front porch, grabbed their luggage and brought it inside, locked the door, put away her shoes and jacket, and went upstairs to bed.

 _.~*Tainted Melodies*~._

Jade grumbled as she woke in a strange bed in a strange room, with someone cuddled up to her. Glancing around, she blinked and started laughing when she realized Méngméng had hold of her and was holding her down. "Mysty... Oi!" She blinked, feeling something on her butt, and realized Méngméng had given it a squeeze in her sleep. "Seriously? I'm not your boytoy, though I do have a nice butt." She detached Méngméng's paw and shook her head.

She looked around the room a moment before realizing she was at the Stones' house, staying in one of the spare rooms. She and Méngméng had taken one, Rādhikā was sharing a room with Erin, Kristina, and Tempest, while Fēnglì shared with Jordan. Poor Fēnglì; Jordan was quite the chatterbox in the morning.

She blinked a few times when she heard the doorbell ring again, and climbed out of bed to find out what was going on – she knew James had to work early, and Tasha had stayed at the hospital working late. Pulling her hoodie on, she went down to the door and pulled it open. "Hello? Oh..." Her ears flattened when she realized it was Dex and Roxi standing before her. "Um... Morning?"

"I know we're a bit early, but..." Roxi sighed and glanced away. Dex, however, didn't speak. "We couldn't stay away any longer. Did we wake anyone else?"

Jade blinked, curious as to why she wasn't crying, but then realized that she was hiding her eyes behind large sunglasses to most likely hide that fact. "No, everyone else is asleep, as far as I'm aware. Come sit in the living room. I'll get the little ones, since Erin's in their room, too, as is Rādhikā. Stay here, all right?"

Roxi nodded and led her husband over to the living room and sat on the couch with him, listening as Jade disappeared upstairs. "Dex... Are you going to speak to me? Please, don't shut me out." She placed a hand on his cheek, but it felt cold to her. "I'm always here for you, babe. Just remember that, all right?" She breathed out a sigh of relief when she noticed him nodding. "Good."

A few anxious minutes later, and Jade was coming down the stairs carrying two carriers by the handles, one in each paw. On her shoulder, she carried a large diaper bag. "We bought some supplies for them, too. Sorry if they aren't right. Rādhikā and Fēnglì went to find the stuff with them." She set the carriers in front of the two humans, and put the diaper bag between them. She then backed away and left the room, busying herself to give them some privacy.

Dex leaned forward and picked up his younger sister, cradling her gentle. No cuts marred her skin, and she didn't appear to be injured. He looked her over, smiled, and kissed her forehead. "I'm going to take care of you, Spudlet. We may have lost Mom and Dad, but you still have me and I still have you, and I'll make sure they don't take you away. You're going to look just like Mom when you get older. You already have the red hair."

Roxi, meanwhile, was cradling her own daughter and letting happy tears fall, relaxed and delighted to find that she, too, was all right. She cooed and whispered to her, making sure several times that she was all right. She didn't understand. How were both of them alive? How could they have survived?

Jade must have heard her thoughts, for she spoke up and answered them as she re-entered the room. "Beary. Beary saved them. I don't know for sure how, but it's why, I guess, everyone thought he died. He used up so much energy and made some kind of crystal shielding, I guess? I don't know for sure, but whatever he did, he saved their lives and kept them unharmed. He was ready to give his life for them."

Dex looked over at her and frowned. "Then why didn't he save my parents?" He got up and left the room with Kristina, leaving two startled females in his wake.

"Dex..." Roxi began, but Jade held her back. "What?"

"He's confused and conflicted. I was in a similar state after my brother died. He needs to come to terms with it. He doesn't want comfort. He wants answers, and he won't be satisfied until he has them. I just... I just hope he doesn't turn his back on Beary." Jade sighed and sat down on the chair. "If Henry doesn't pull through – I don't even know his chances – then Dex is all Beary will have, family-wise."

"Doesn't have grandparents living in Nashville?" Roxi questioned, eyeing her.

"Yes, but... The grandfather I do not trust. I don't want Beary to stay with him if I can help it. He's already taken Erik, but there was nothing I could do to stop that." She hmmed a little before getting up. "I'm going to make breakfast for everyone. Have you eaten?"

"No, but I thought you were the one that burns food?"

"It's cereal. How could I burn that?" Jade shook her head. "I need to get some food into Mysty, and then we're going to go to the hospital and check on our significant others. You guys can come if you want, but I don't know if they'll allow the babies in."

Roxi nodded, promising to talk to Dex about it. Jade then went to set the table with breakfast, toast, milk, and to brew some coffee and locate the orange juice. Once she had finished, she took a tray of the meal upstairs to Méngméng's temporary room.

"Knock, knock. You up yet?" Jade questioned, looking in on the room to find Méngméng still curled up on her side on the bed. "Méngméng? Er, Mysty? You up yet? How's your arm? Still hurting from getting it stitched up?"

"I am up," the silver panda murmured softly. "I don't want to be, though. And yes, it stings a little, but I'm used to pain my arms. Can I go back to sleep and not wake up?"

Jade set the tray on the nightstand and sat beside her friend. "You wanted yesterday to be nothing more than a bad dream, huh?"

Méngméng's shaking shoulders and tears were answer enough for the black she-bear, who gently squeezed her arm to comfort her.

"We're going to go visit them, Méngméng, as soon as we eat some breakfast. I'll get Fēnglì and Rādhikā to eat, too, all right? You eat up and we'll go." Jade smiled at her and backed out of the room.

 _.~*The Country Bears*~._

Ted Bedderhead, in all his grumpy glory, chewed out a nurse as she came to check him over. He was tired, cranky, in pain, and, with his arms in thick bandages, he knew he looked ridiculous. Plus, Jade hadn't visited, and he had no idea where she was, as no one would give him information on anyone else. He didn't know if everyone was alive or dead. He was scared, not that he'd admit it. He was frustrated and annoyed, desperate for information, but no one listened to him, which just angered him further.

When the nurse finally left, he chuffed and grumped, wishing he could fold his arms, but alas both were in casts. At least his wrists hadn't been broken. Just a couple bones and his left shoulder were damaged. Then again, he had a couple broken ribs, too, so they hurt a lot, too. He wanted his next dose of painkillers and to go back to sleep.

There was a light knocking at the door, and Ted let out another shout, telling the nurse to go away and asking why they knocked when they knew he couldn't get up to open the door.

"Aw, but Teddy, I thought you wanted to see me," Jade laughed, entering the room with a mug of coffee in her paw.

He blinked a few times, wondering if he was really seeing her. "Jade? Is you really there?"

"Way to grammar, Ted," she laughed, shaking her head. She sat down in the guest chair and eyed him. "You look terrible."

"I feel terrible," he responded. "How'd you get out of that accident without being hurt?"

"We got rear-ended, but no one in our vehicle was seriously injured, even though my car's totaled. At least in the back, I mean." She shook her head and took a sip of her drink. "Méngméng got her arm cut up, but it was seen to yesterday. Fēnglì was unharmed, except for some bruising, and Rādhikā had an ear cut up a little by some flying glass."

"Oh. Well at least no one was seriously hurt, right? No casualties?" He blinked when her ears flattened. "Jade?"

The black she-bear sighed softly, ears lowering. "Allison, Norbert, and Zak didn't make it." Her voice hitched slightly, but she refused to cry. Not this time. When Ted didn't respond, she lifted her head to look over at him. When she saw the tears, she felt her own start to rise.

"Did... Did they suffer?"

"Allison didn't. Norbert, I don't know... Zak... His neck was broken when I found him. I stayed with him as he passed on." Briefly, she wondered if she should tell him about the black bear she had seen take Zak away, and then decided to, knowing that she might as well get it over with.

"You... You saw Mortem?" he asked when she'd finished, eyes wide.

"Mortem? Is that his name?"

"Yes... Mortem's the god of death and father of the gods. At least..." He bit his lip, not sure she wanted to hear any of this.

"Ted, please... Just tell me that Zak's gone to a safe place."

"He has, honey. He... He has." Ted didn't block the tears now, letting them fall freely. Not so much because he was sad, but because of the fact that she was starting to cry as well. "Allison and Norbert, too, I'm sure... This, oh gods... Does... Does Dex know?"

"Yes." She nodded, brushing away her tears. "They came back last night... Right now, they're taking care of Kristina and Tempest back home. They're going to visit Roadie this afternoon. Dex is... He's taking it hard. He... He's wondering why if Beary could save the three littles, why he didn't he save Allison and Norbert."

"What?" Ted looked at her incredulously. "What do you mean save them?"

"He put up this crystal shield, I guess. I don't know. I touched it and it faded, and the little ones were alive and unharmed. He practically killed himself to save them, though. They took him to the morgue, thinking he was dead. Surprise, he pulled a Lazarus and scared the crap out of the coroners." She laughed a little at the thought. "But, when he came up, I was in the waiting room, and I swear... His eyes were multi-colored and his fur was crystalized, but no one else was saying anything. It was as if they couldn't see it. Either way, he just barely made it. As for the others..." She paused to think.

"Tennessee and Trixie are in critical condition. Zoober, too. Fred's fine, though. Jewel is critical, I think. I don't know for sure. She wasn't responsive when taken from the scene. Roadie, I have no idea about, nor Henry."

"This is the end, isn't it?" Ted asked softly, looking away from her. "This is the end of the family. If Jewel doesn't pull through, Tennessee and Trixie will leave. If Beary... Gods, if Beary doesn't, I don't think there'll be much holding the rest of us together..."

Jade frowned. "There will be plenty to hold you all together. You're going to need each other now more than ever."

"How are we going to get through this? This is worse than a breakup. It's... How... How can you be so hopeful?"

"That's the thing, Ted. This time I'm really not. I don't know what's going to happen now. Yes, it scares the hell out of me, but right now is the time for individual healing. Then... Then you can all work on healing together." She took another sip of her coffee.

He stared at her in complete shock. "This... This has really shaken you up, huh...?" He was very surprised by this information, and wasn't sure what to make of it. Jade was supposed to be their rock, and now she, too, had lost hope.

"This... I dunno. It's not..." Jade sighed, not knowing what to say.

"I'd, uh, give you a hug, but currently, I can't move my arms. Guess this means someone's going to have to take care of me morning, noon, and night, huh?" He looked at her, trying to show amusement, but his words were dull and flat.

"Yeah, I'll stay with you. You only have one floor at your place."

Ted sighed, not even feeling happy at her words. "I..." He gave up trying to say anything, and they just sat there in silence.

"It should be interesting. Do you think you're going to be able to do all your wood working and play guitar after you're healed?" Jade looked at him. "Do you even want me to take care of you?"

"If I can't do those things, I don't know what I'd do with my life," he murmured. "I've tried just being a singer before. It's not... not me." He glanced up at her. "Why wouldn't I want you to? Who am I supposed to ask? My mother? Go live in Memphis?"

"It was the silence and look you had. Sorry, I'm just being stupid," she sighed.

"You're being emotional. I know it's a new feeling," he lightly teased. "Ms. Tough girl."

"It's not normal." She looked down at her coffee mug. "Ya know, I never prayed until yesterday, and now I feel so confused and lost. I don't understand."

Ted blinked. "Do you want to talk about it? I may not be as big of an expert as Helen, but I know a few things from her mother, Evelyn. Speaking of which... Has anyone contacted her? Her son-in-law and grandchild are in the hospital."

Jade blinked. "Who?"

"Evelyn Hathworth? The leading spiritual leader of the _Ursinya_ culture?" He gave her an odd look before understand dawned on him. "Oh, right... You wouldn't know her. Sorry."

Jade just stared at him with a blank expression. "Yeah, I don't have a clue."

"Well then. You'll be in for perhaps a treat. She travels the world, helping those in need. I think she was on a mission in... Africa? Either there or the Middle East. Helping children and villages in need. Oh, and she's the oldest seventeen-year-old you will ever meet."

"Oh, great. So she's... No, Jade, don't even say it." Jade put her paw up to her nose and pinched the bridge of it hard enough that her claws were digging into her skin. Anything to keep her from being a smartass and from voicing her quick judgements out loud. That attitude had gotten her into enough trouble already.

He laughed. "She was born on February 29th, Jade. 1936, I believe. So if you don't want to count her age by leap years, she's in her late sixties. She's a fine bear, and she acts her age, but she's also, well... Fun loving? She's not the type to sit too long."

Jade gave him a confused look as she took her paw away from her face. So this lady was sixty-nine, if calculations were correct, and what Ted had meant is that by going by leap years, she was technically only seventeen. ' _I'm such an idiot_ ,' she thought to herself with a sigh. "Sorry. I... I know you all think I'm an asshole and a bitch, but I really can't stand immaturity. Maybe it was because of the way I was forced to grow up. Maybe it was because I didn't get to have a real childhood like everybody else did. I dunno, but..." She trailed off, not finishing her thought.

Ted fixed her with a sorrowful look. "You know, you don't need to act mature all the time. What's the point of growing up if you can't be childish sometimes? She's active because she no longer has anything tying her down. Her husband died of a brain tumor when Helen was twenty? Twenty-two? Her son, Helen's twin Jacob, died a few months before Beary was born. And Big Al, well... She was never more than his Aunt. So she goes out and helps out those who need her."

Jade shook her head slowly. Not having anything to say. She was confused. She was torn apart and she couldn't tell Ted any of it.

"I have a feeling she will be making an appearance soon enough. Will you be kind enough to inform her of everything that's happened? Oh, and I should probably warn you... You thought Helen was odd, right? With her memory thing? Evelyn... can see into your soul. Literally. She's a _Vatem_."

"A what?"

"A _Vatem_. A seer of ghosts and spirits. They are, oh, what is it. Like and aid to _Tueri_? Have you seen "Ghost Whisperer", that new show on TV? It's kinda like that, but they see the legit thing. They help the souls move on, and some of them have gifts. Like Helen. She can take a memory and replace it with another, or venture into your mind and retrieve your memories. Jacob, her twin, could see multiple possible futures." He sighed. "I get that you don't believe me, but I've known them far longer, and I know the things they do are true. I've seen it before." He shook his head. "Sorry. I know you don't believe these things. I know you don't. Sorry. I don't want to start a fight."

Jade surprised herself with her answer. "No, keep talking. Please."

He blinked, surprised. "Really? Well, uh, let's see. _Tueri_ , like Helen, are the winged warriors. Kinda like angels? They deal with _Belua_ and _Furem_. _Belua_ are basically demons. They feed on your soul, turning your temperament more depressed and stressed. Uh, they are created by bad feelings, I guess? I'm fuzzy on that part. _Furem_ , meanwhile, are the creatures that steal the souls of infants and children, which is why children and infants can randomly die. Especially infants. It's said that _Furem_ are the explanation of SIDS, but that's just us bears explanation."

Jade just sat there and listened to him for hours as he talked.

Ted explained what he could, and what he knew of the gods - one god for every species of bear [and a few demi-gods for sub-species], all with their own personalities and gifts - of religious features, and how they didn't have to perform sacrifices or go to a place of worship, as that was meant to be done at home and in private. How when they hunt, they thank the animal's spirit for giving its life to them. Why they don't hunt for sport or for trophies, but respected nature – at least most do.

"So you see," he said when he had finished, "our culture is much more inviting than many others, and more respectful. It's why we're so gosh darn lovable and why they make teddy bears. Any questions?"

Jade shook her head. She somehow felt as if she didn't fit into her own culture. "No, I think I get it all. So that explains the wolves, then. Guardians and caretakers, and friends of Terræ. Hm... I must say, that paints Zeus in a new light; he's always acted like a protector around me."

"He does." He cleared his throat. "Do things make more sense now? Do you understand why I want to raise any cubs we may have in Ursinya? Why I want them to earn their totems? Which, by the way, is fairly fun to do. Of course, all of this with your permission. We don't have to."

"I guess so." She frowned, thinking on it. She'd never earned any totems. She didn't really want to learn about the culture, either, but it seemed to make Ted happy to teach her, though she knew he didn't know as much as some others. Maybe she could let some things slide, such as the earning of totems because that did sound like fun, but she didn't want any cubs she may or may not have worship some kind of gods. As for the _Vatem_ thing, it got her thinking. Ted had said _Vatem_ ' _s_ eyes turned silver when in, uh, _Vatem_ mode, and a few times she had noticed her own eyes changing colors; she'd always thought it was a trick of the light. Maybe she was a _Vatem_ , too? She could see things others couldn't. She'd been able to see Helen when she was in her _Tueri_ form, after all.

Ted was still talking, unaware she was deep in thought. "I quite enjoyed earning mine. Maybe when I'm able to go home, I'll get them out for you." He smiled brightly. "Then I can explain them properly to her."

Jade, returning from her thoughts, smiled back. "All right."

"The stories I can tell you about them..." He started laughing and began a few, telling her of the first time he had climbed a tree in the backyard was to get at a beehive with honey. "They were not happy with me. I was stung so bad that I think the bloating still hasn't gone down!"

"They sting you in the head and tummy?" she asked, laughing.

"Yep. Fred did something similar, but he had mistaken a wasp nest for a beehive."

"Oh, geez."

"Yeah. That was a fun day in the Bedderhead household." He laughed and shook his head. "If you think that's bad, you should have seen Zeb's first day with us." He tried very hard to tell the story of Zeb accidentally destroying the bathroom, but ended up cracking up horribly.

Jade laughed a bit, though the story sounded familiar to her. "Are you serious? How are you feeling, anyways? You've been awake this entire time without eating."

"Oh, Pops was not happy about that. Zeb always was an awkward cub, but that moment sealed it. I had to stay outside the bathroom whenever he used it for a good two months until he got used to it." He glanced at her. "Oh, I... hadn't even noticed. I guess I was having my fill of talking to you." He grinned.

She frowned. "This hospital doesn't take good care of its patients. Not feeding them..." "I think the nurses are scared of me, to be honest," he grumped.

"Really? It's not like you can do anything."

"I can bite."

She laughed. "Mmm, but you won't. You're too much of a teddy bear."

"You know me too well. But they don't know that. Besides, they'll be bringing food anytime now. You go get some food or go visiting, too, all right?"

"Will do." Jade stood up and kissed teds nose carefully. "I'll be back."

"Don't go disappearing on me," he teased, waiting until she'd finally left to let his tears spill over once more.

 _.~*~._

After eating her meal, talking to her car insurance company, and meeting up with Méngméng in the cafeteria – and learning that Méngméng still didn't know for sure if Zeb would be all right as he was still in surgery, she had returned to find Ted fast asleep. Deciding he needed his rest – and seeing that he had indeed been fed – she slipped away to check on others. Most were either unresponsive or unable to see visitors. Finally, she was allowed to slip into one of the rooms, feeling as if she was being called into the room.

She blinked a few times, blinded slightly by a sparkling bed-ridden teenager. She glanced around the room briefly, taking in the monitors and IV pole. "Beary, lay off the glitter," she groaned. "How have you not been found out yet?" Though she could see his eyes were open and he was turning his head a few times, she frowned at the lack of response. "Beary?"

"The one you seek is resting," the teenager replied. "I am not he." He finally turned to look at her, revealing color-shifting eyes. His crystal-ing died down slightly, letting her see him fully.

Her fur bristled slightly. "Who are you?" Her fur shifted once more into furry scales.

"Queen Jae, do you forsake me? It is I, Cantios."

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 **Please review!**


	5. Chapter Four

**Enjoy chapter four of Book IV - Tainted Melodies!**

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 **.~*Chapter Four*~.**

Jade blinked several times, confused and conflicted. "What? Cantios? No, you're Beary."

"I am Beary, yes, but right now he is resting. I am in full control, my queen," the crystal cub responded. "We are one, yet apart. He is not yet ready to fully embrace him. We're slowly physically becoming one. I was released by Rekyli."

"Who the hell is that?!"

"Oh, yes... You do not have your memories. Apologies. Rekyli is the true name of Helena Taylor, Beary's birth mother." He smiled and took a deep breath before coughing and groaning. "Right. I forgot that my lung is injured, among other injuries. Your healers have done their best, I believe, but it still pains me greatly." He lifted his paw to his hospital gown and lifted it slightly, looking at the bandage over his shaved torso. "Huh. Even my skin shifts colors. Fascinating. I knew the fur did, but not the skin beneath."

"How are you not crying in pain? You got skewered!"

"If I were Beary, I would be crying in pain, yes. But I am Cantios, and I have been through far worse. I am a god, so I do not feel pain the same as you would."

"Uh-huh... And why isn't Beary here? Why are you?"

"Beary received a massive shock to his very soul. Witnessing the murder of his adoptive mother has, as you might put it, fried him. When he shows further signs of returning to this world, ready to face the pain, I will return to my more dormant state."

Jade simply stared, not sure what to do. She could hear Beary's voice, but this wasn't Beary but some stranger talking in a strange way. And what did he mean by murder? It was an accident, wasn't it? "I... You... This is too weird for me."

Beary/Cantios looked over at her. "This is weird? Hm..." He blinked. "You have something that belongs to me there in your pocket. May I have it?"

She pulled out the paintbrush, studying it. "What will you do with it?"

"It will help me control my abilities in this mortal body," he responded simply. "I am infused with that paintbrush. It is part of my very soul and thus very precious. The fact that it didn't render you into ink on canvas is because you are Queen Jae. It recognized you."

She blinked. "Queen Jae? No... My name is Jade Falco."

"You were once known as Jae Falcon Flight," he replied. "Queen of the dragons."

Jade blinked a few times before laughing loudly. "Okay, now I know you're full of shit. Dragons don't exist. Beary, stop fooling around."

"I don't know why you don't believe me. Every culture on your mortal plain describe such winged beasts. Even ones who haven't been around other cultures." He raised an eyebrow.

"People believe in unicorns, too. It doesn't matter." She laughed a bit more. "You're ridiculous. Here's your paintbrush. I'm going to go back to Ted."

He took it and frowned, looking at her as she walked to the door. "Then why does your fur shift to scales and your pads heat up like they're on fire? You are no ordinary bear, Jae. Give my regards to Theo." He closed his eyes and went back to sleep, holding the paintbrush securely.

Jade turned back to him, startled. How had he known that? She looked at her paw pad for a moment before clenching her fist and shoving her paws in her pockets. She turned back to the door, walking out. She needed to go back to Ted.

 _.~*The Country Bears*~._

Ted was finally awake when she returned to him after walking around the block a few times, trying to figure things out. How had this Cantios known that she could shift her fur? That her pads heated up? Was he right about what she used to be, or was he just messing with her?

"You certainly took a long time. Run into anyone?" Ted asked as she sat down.

"I had lunch with Méngméng, talked to my insurance company, and went to see if anyone was up for visiting. Nothing, yet. Trixie, Tennessee, and Zeb are all still in the OR, or at least, I think they are. They might have been moved to recovery by now. They're conditions still aren't known. Jewel still hasn't woken up, either. Henry's not doing too badly, but he's fairly banged up, and Roadie..."

She took a deep breath. "Roadie's paralyzed from the waist down. Spine broken. He was pinned pretty bad in the crash. He's lucky he wasn't killed, but from what I hear it was a very close call." She sighed softly. "I also called up Big Al. He's having the bus hauled back to the _Hall_ so he can try to salvage what he can. It's... It's bad. He was out there earlier, from what I understand, picking up anything he could find from the ground that belonged to you guys. I'm going to head over there later. I need to check on the dogs. Taking Méngméng with me. She doesn't need the stress of waiting here."

"She seems to handle stress just fine, though," Ted responded, frowning at the new information. Poor Roadie! Stuck in a wheelchair the rest of his life! And three of his "siblings" were still possibly in the OR? Jewel unresponsive? "Is she still alive in her brain, though?"

"Hm? Who? Jewel?"

"Yeah."

"They were taking her in for tests when I went to lunch. Tasha would know more than I would." Jade sighed and closed her eyes, finding herself sending up a prayer that Jewel would make it. If the O'Neals lost both their children, there was no telling what would happen. She, herself, wouldn't be able to handle losing Jewel, either. After all, she'd watched her grow up from a very young age and felt like she was a daughter. At least if Jewel lost her parents, she still had the Stones to care for her.

"Oh, I see." Ted frowned a little. He didn't know what else to say. So much had happened and had changed, and he found himself wondering yet again if their small family could stay together through this tragedy.

They stayed in silence, watching the TV hanging from the ceiling, but neither really paying attention.

Less than an hour later, when Jade tried leaving the bathroom, she opened the door and found herself blocked by a large furry object. "Uh, excuse me? Trying to get out of here." When the figure didn't move, she growled and pushed. "Move, asshole!"

"Is that any way to treat your future father-in-law, miss?" the tall bear asked, turning around as he moved. "Ted, you got yourself a feisty one."

"Pops, leave her be. You shouldn't have been blocking the doorway," Ted grumbled from his bed.

Jade looked around the room, startled. When had the two new bears arrived? Father-in-law?! Ted's father?! That meant... " _Jade, du bist in einem tiefen Scheiße jetz_ ," she muttered, moving back to her chair. She hadn't been expecting this at all and it had caught her off-guard and unprepared.

"I like her," the bigger brown bear stated. "Ted, have you made her yours yet?"

"Meaning what?"

"I mean, have you bedded her yet?"

"POPS!"

"It's a perfectly good question, dearest. You've been without a mate for so long, and I want more grandchildren!" the smaller black female stated. "So if you haven't made love yet, best snap to it! As soon as you're healed, of course."

"MA!"

"You're the only one of your siblings who hasn't given me grandchildren. So disappointing. I thought you'd be the first, considering how much you like to look at the ladies and bring them home to meet us." She sighed and shook her head.

Jade blinked and glanced over at Ted. "What's this?"

"Oh, he never slept with any of them, much to my disappointment," the female went on. "Just dated so many. He was quite the hot stuff in high school."

"Ma!" Ted was horrified.

Jade started crying with laughter. "Ted? Hot stuff? I can't see it."

The female approached, pulling out her wallet, and produced a picture of a much younger-looking Ted. "Quite the stud muffin!"

"Oh, gods," Ted groaned.

Jade stared at the picture. "Are you... Are you posing?! Ahahaha, oh, Ted!"

Ted closed his eyes, wishing his parents would go away. "Jade, I guess I better tell you. This is Jeanette and Simon Bedderhead, my parents."

"I love them," she laughed, passing the picture back. "They like to poke fun at you, too!"

Ted glanced at his parents. "And what do you mean I'm the only one who hasn't given you grandchildren? Fred hasn't!"

"Boy, your brother was married a decade ago and divorced about five years ago. He has four cubs in the form of two sets of identical twins. Brittany has three cubs of her own, and you have none!" Simon chastised.

Ted blinked. "Fred has kids? Why am I just now hearing about this?"

"Because you have stuffing in your ears and never listen."

Jade snorted and nodded in agreement. She felt at ease with these two former strangers, yet something gnawed at her. If she hadn't kept her mouth shut and just listened, Ted wouldn't have been in this situation in the first place.

"Bah. This is your fault. You hogged all the good luck in that crash," he grumbled. "If you hadn't been so gosh-darn lucky, we'd be sharing a room and I wouldn't have to suffer them alone."

Jade cringed slightly but tried to remain as she was. "Ah. Funny."

He sighed and shook his head, groaning at the effort. "Hey, Jade? Is it all right if you leave us for a bit? I want to talk to my parents alone. Nothing personal, I just need to sort some things out with them, all right?"

Jeanette spoke up. "We'll take you out to dinner this evening, Jade."

Jade nodded, wanting to get out of there and grateful for the escape. "That's fine with me. Ted'll give you my number." She got up, shook their paws, kissed Ted's cheek, and left the room as quickly as possible without making it look like she was in a hurry.

 _.~*~._

After checking at the nurse stations, she finally discovered that there was at last someone else for her to talk to other than Beary. Zeb had been moved from recovery to the ICU. Venturing to his room, she knocked and entered, glancing around for Méngméng. Did she not know yet? She halted when she spotted just how bad the fiddler was.

One of his legs was in a large cast, hanging from a support sling. An arm was bandaged as well, and a thick neck-brace was around his throat. One eye was swollen shut, he had a nasty cut that was partially bandaged, and his breathing was ragged and harsh, painful to listen to.

She stood silently at the end of the room hallway, staring at him in shock, until she noticed his nose twitching.

The red bear gave a few sniffs and opened his eyes. "Jade?"

Jade finally moved forward, approaching him. "Yeah, Zoober, it's me. How ya feeling?"

"A'm not," he whispered. "Can't feel much of anythin' below mah neck. Thay said thay didnae ken if 'twas permanent or not." He closed his eyes, groaning. "Maybe tis a guid thing ah cannae cop. Fae whit thay said mah injuries wur, a'd be in a lot o' pain. Thay fixed up mah insides, bit ah hud a pierced lung 'n' badly bruised ribs. Ah git looky, thay said."

She flinched. "Was it you that Fred landed on? Wait, you sound like your Aunt and Uncle!"

"Ah think sae. Ah dinnae... 'member much. If 'twas him, ah jalouse that... We know he's nae as... As soft 'n' cuddly as he appears." His voice was raspy and weak, as was his breathing, though Jade knew this was because his chest had nearly been crushed in the crash.

"I guess not." Jade frowned, struggling to understand him. Had his speech patterns in his brain been messed up in the crash, too?

"Howfur ur... Th' ithers...?"

"Well, they are alive. Most of them, anyway, as far as I'm aware. Zak, Allison, and Norbert didn't make it, and I hope we lose no others. The O'Neals are all in bad shape. Beary, too. Henry seems to be doing all right, but isn't allowing visitors. At least, the doctors aren't. I think his father had something to do with it."

"Mama Bear?" His ears flattened. "Mama Bear is..." He gulped, tears falling down his cheeks. "Lil Trix, tae? Th' kid? How come? How come this happening?"

"Erik is with Henry's parents, and Tempest and Kristina are with Dex and Roxi, who got in around midnight last night. Mysty, your boy, and his lady friend should be ready to visit you sometime this afternoon, though I think I'll take her with me back to the _Hall_ to give her a break. She's fairly stressed. I'm surprised they aren't here already, to be honest. As for your questions, if I had those answers, I'd be able to tell you. Unfortunately, I don't."

"They are okay?" He eyes focused on her. "Not hurt?"

"Your family is fine. Out of my car, I think I was the only one that got banged up. Tried to eat my steering wheel." She poked her front teeth with her tongue and made a mental note to set up an appointment with the dentist as soon as possible.

"That must've tasted ill." He managed a weak chuckle.

"Tasted like sweaty leather."

"Ick. Did... Did you guys fin' mah hat?"

She frowned. "If it's on the bus, Big Al might have found it. The wreck's being hauled to the _Hall_."

"Good... Uncle... Ciaran wid be mad... if lost it..."

Jade frowned a little bit, remembering that the hat had been a gift from his uncle. "Oh, well, I'm sure Big Al's found it by now. And I have contacted your Aunt and Uncle. They're flying out."

"Make sure?" he asked, looking at her, not seeming to hear the final part.

"When I go over to get Zeus I will check for your hat."

"Thanks. You... good leader... despite being so short..."

She managed a smile. "Ah, haha. Funny, Zoober."

His lips crinkled into a smile. "You do good job..." He drifted off to sleep, mumbling a few things before falling silent.

Jade watched him, her heart heavy. "Sleep now, Zoober. Take care of yourself and I'll make sure... I'll do my damnedest to make sure Méngméng doesn't miscarry." She squeezed his only free paw before leaving the room. She needed to get to the _Hall_. She didn't feel very good and being in the hospital made her feel worse.

 _.~*The Country Bears*~._

Big Al's heart was heavy as he parked his old truck alongside the _Hall_. He stared at the steering wheel for a few minutes after turning off the engine, thinking on how everything was going to change. He didn't know the conditions of anyone, other than they were bad and that Zak, Allison, and Norbert hadn't made it.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Faye sighed and put a paw on his shoulder. In the back, Izzy slept soundly in her seat. They had all just returned from gathering up what they could find from the wreckage and had it packed it in a box by Izzy. "We mustn't dawdled, dear. The truck and trailer will be here soon with the bus."

The chubby gray bear nodded and got out. "Take Izzy in and let her sleep in my room. I'll guide the trucker in. I'll bring in the box in a bit, too."

The panda silently agreed and did as asked, sparing a sad glance to her fiancé as she went. She knew how hard this was on the older bear; to see his family horribly injured. How could she help him? She had already called Kenya and Kaspian back and they would be there within the hour – as they had left early that morning and were simply doing final checks before leaving their plane in a private hanger. She prayed they would be able to use their abilities to find out what exactly happened. Maybe even get a license plate or a look at the face of who caused the accident. Who knows?

She was pulled from her thoughts as Isabel shifted in her arms and purred loudly as she continued to sleep. Faye smiled at her adopted cub and kissed her little nose. Finally, she went in through the office and into the cabin beyond it.

Big Al walked quietly towards the side entrance from the highway, spotting the trailer in the distance. As it finally turned onto the path with him guiding it in, he kept a straight face, not wanting to show just how upset he was at the damage.

Twenty minutes later, the bus was on the ground in the field next to the _Hall_ , and the truck and trailer leaving after sliding the broken vehicle to the ground. Thankfully the bottom wasn't too damaged, nor the wheels, so it slid easily and Big Al quietly put blocks in front and behind the wheels. Then, he stood back to examine the damage.

The front was badly smashed on the right side, having taken most of the damage, and sustained less damage to the right, but as Roadie hadn't been wearing a seatbelt, he'd been thrown in the crash against the right. Half of the top and right side were caved in, and the left side was leaning inwards. All the windows were broken, and, as he went around to the right side, he found deep gouges in the mural on the side, ruining the image.

Big Al took a deep breath and sighed, taking off his hat and running an arm over his brow. How was he supposed to get inside to clear it out? Maybe he could jack up the door? He was rather chubby, so how would he fit in? With a frown, he went hunting for his tools.

By the time he returned, Faye was standing beside the bus, examining it with her arms crossed in front of her. Her thoughts were conflicted, as she found herself grateful that they had decided to stay behind instead of going to the airport to see Dex and Roxi off. Another part of her hated her for this thought. And yet another made her question why _everyone_ else had gone to see them off. Perhaps if they had just stayed behind, this wouldn't have happened.

Big Al eyed his fiancé worriedly. "Faye? What's on your mind?" He set his tools down beside him and put a paw on her shoulder.

"So many things, Alan. So many things..." She turned to him and fell against his chest with a soft sigh. The top of her head didn't even reach his chin, but he lowered his head and gently kissed her hair as he wrapped his arms around her. "It's too quiet here."

"It is," he responded, holding her close. "I hope it doesn't stay that way. It's been quite too many times, and each is worse than the time prior." He sighed and closed his eyes.

A car horn broke them apart, and they looked up to find a familiar black SUV pulling in to park in front of the great building. Kaspian got out immediately after shutting off the engine and went around to the other side to get his sister.

Kenya sighed and hobbled out of the vehicle unhappily. "Kas, I can't do this. I can't see another broken vehicle. Please..."

"Kenny, I know you don't want to, but we have no choice. We might be able to help. Find a face or a license plate. Find the make and model of the car. I wish I had your burden to see and you didn't have to face this, but nothing will change it." He pulled her close, but she pushed him away, too angry for comfort. Kaspian frowned, knowing why she was so on edge. A car accident that left death. Caused by another. Just like what happened to ruin her happiness by taking her mate and their child's lives a night before their wedding.

"This sucks so much. I hope you know that."

"I'm well aware of that." He sighed and watched as she forced herself to walk around to the bus. He didn't want this for her, but they had no choice. Witnesses had said that some kind of car was driving radically and had caused the crash, but the car had never been found. It was up to him and Kenya to figure out. If they couldn't see it from the bus, then they would have to go to find the Barrington van at the impound – where it was for evidence – and focus on the memories from the van as well. Since the van had taken the brunt of the accident, Kaspian was hoping they could find what was needed in the bus. He didn't know what kind of breakdown Kenya would have if they had to go to the van.

Kaspian walked behind his younger sister, keeping an eye on her to make sure she didn't fall over and to catch her if she did.

"Well don't you two look like hell," Faye commented, looking them over. "What gives?"

Kenya shot her a dark glare, and the panda backed into her boyfriend nervously.

Big Al chuckled. "Ah, Kenya, don't scare her."

"I'll scare her if I want to! I don't want to be here!" the young brown bear growled.

Kaspain groaned. "Kenya, don't take it out on them. Please."

"Shut up, Kas. Let's just get this bullshit over and done with so I can get out of here and drown out the memories with vodka or something stronger. And don't bother with 'it's our job'. I get that, damn it. Doesn't mean I have to like it." Kenya scowled and went over to the bus. "How the hell do we get in?!"

Kaspian sighed and shook his head. "I think Uncle Al was going to work on that when we pulled up, sis."

Big Al nodded. "Yep. Exactly." He pulled away from Faye and got to work, Kaspian helping him out. Within the next hour, they got the door opened enough for entrance into the bus, though things would be cramped.

By the time they finished, Jade had pulled up in a rental car alone. She was fuming that Méngméng had refused to leave with her and instead chose to stay with Zeb and their son and future daughter-in-law. She had, of course, called the she-panda foolish and a danger to herself. Yet, at the same time, Jade wanted to stay with her. She just couldn't make herself stay another few minutes in that hospital, already drained.

Getting out of her rental, Jade grumbled and walked over towards the bus, ears flat as she surveyed the damage. "Propped open the door, I see?"

Kaspian glanced back at her and nodded. "Yes."

"Getting stuff out of there, then?"

"Yes... after Kenya and I go in."

Jade frowned. "You? Why?"

"We're _Vatem_ , Jade. Didn't you know?" Kaspian turned to his sister to help her up, only to get swatted at.

Jade didn't answer, mind confused and conflicted. So much information. She didn't want to deal with it. "I'm going to go check on Zeus."

"They're doing fine, by the way," Faye called. "I mean, Zeus wanted to eat Sparta and S'mores, but that might have been because of their behavior. Apparently Beary's grandfather made sure the female was in heat when he sent her." Faye shook her head. "Irresponsible, is what it is. If she wasn't pregnant before, she probably is now."

Jade frowned. "Great. Zeus is not a fan of them? I almost feel bad. He didn't really come from the best background." She hurriedly left, not wanting to stay by them a moment longer. Finally disappearing behind the Hall, she was satisfied to see that all two dogs plus hybrid were in two kennels adjacent to each other – both large as well. She did, however, blink when she realized Sparta had been leashed up outside S'mores kennel, but then remembered that Faye had said they had been separated.

Zeus was eyeballing the two much smaller dogs, his lips curled in a wolfish manner, but there was no growl that came from. S'mores, meanwhile, went over to the fence and sniffed at him curiously, while the red tri Sparta moved at the end of her leash towards Jade and sat down, head tilted.

Jade smiled at the young pup and scritched her ears and chin. "If you get bit, S'mores, it's your own fault."

Sparta licked Jade's paw happily, while S'mores seemed to frown, glancing over at Jade as if to say "he wouldn't dare" and went right back to sniffing, but backed up a little. Seconds later, the wolf dog hybrid lunged and bit the chain link fence, crushing the spot with a deep primal growl.

S'mores jumped back with a yip and growled right back, though it was less ferocious.

The she-bear sighed and shook her head. "Told you." She laughed when Sparta gave a warning bark to the big black one. "Neither one of you could take him. He's three times the size of both of you combined." Jade's ears twitched as she heard howling in the background. Wolves.

Zeus stood up and walked to the far back of the kennel and stared off towards the howling.

Jade settled in on the grass, Sparta curling up beside her with a head on her lap, and watched her big wolf hybrid. She shook her head as S'mores gave a howl as well, but it was obviously a dog's and not a wolf's.

Zeus, however, flattened his ears to the top of his head as he threw back his head and howled. The noise echoed through the trees and went on for some time, leaving Jade to wonder if he was more wolf than dog.

S'mores yipped again, while Sparta lifted her head curiously, watching the wolf-dog. Zeus came back to the front of his kennel and growled at Sparta before laying down, staring at Jade. Sparta growled right back at him before lifting her head and looking up at Jade with a smile.

"He could eat you if he really wanted to," Jade said simply with a laugh, to which she got a snort in response. "Just letting you know."

Sparta didn't care and instead flopped onto her back, waiting for scratches, which Jade gave.

"Well, Zeus, are you ready to go home? I just need to get away for a few days. Or at least sleep in my own bed for one night. Maybe a few. Ted'll understand, I'm sure."

Zeus stood up and looked at her, wagging his tail.

She smiled, pleased. "That's what I thought." She gently slid Sparta off of her, went over to Zeus' kennel, grabbed his leash, went in, leashed his harness, took him out of the kennel, and put Sparta in instead. "C'mon, mutt, let's go," she stated, leading Zeus down the path, purposefully going the opposite direction of the bus. She didn't want to see it again. She'd get an update from them later, for whatever they were doing. If they were gathering evidence, what for? It was a case of road rage, and nothing on the bus would show them what happened. Fools. And they call themselves FBI agents.

What Jade didn't know, however, was that Kaspian and Kenya had indeed found something... They had seen the plate numbers as well as the shooter – not his face, no, but they knew this was no accident. It was planned. What Jade also didn't know was that Kenya and Kaspian would soon be going to the impound to _see_ inside the Barrington van, where they would finally be able to put a face to the killer.

Jade didn't care. She just wanted to go home and sleep, and worry about things later. So that's what she did.

 _.~*The Country Bears*~._

One week later...

 _"We're sorry, but we can't release her body for a funeral just yet."_

 _Dex thought the policeman was being very rude and cruel. They had already sent his father to be readied for burial! He wanted his parents to be buried at the same time! However, he stayed silent, watching as his maternal grandparents argued with the officer and medical examiner, trying to get their daughter's body free so she could have a proper funeral, not be examined, poked, and prodded._

 _"Ma'am, your daughter was murdered in an accident used to cover it up. Once we finish with our examination, we will release her body to you," the medical examiner went on._

 _Dex felt himself going numb at the thought. Murdered? A cover-up accident? But why? Why had all this taken place? Was it because of Beary? Did he have something to do with it? Dex was getting angry at just the thought. "This is such horsecrap. My parents should be buried together, not at different times!"_

 _"Young man, your grandmother and I will handle this!" his grandfather stated, causing Dex to get even more annoyed._

 _"But she's my mother!"_

 _"She is also our daughter. And you are too young to have this thrust upon yourself. You have enough to deal with, considering you are now guardian of your sister, thanks to the documents your mother wrote and had signed by their lawyer. Let us deal with this, and you go home and take care of Kristina, all right?"_

 _His grandfather reached out and squeezed his shoulder, but Dex wanted no such comfort. He was too angry. He hadn't even had time to cry properly after the news. Except for being angry, he was mostly numb inside. He'd look at Kristina and feel what he assumed was guilt, but a very numb guilt. How he had gotten to spend over eighteen years with their parents, and she only a few months._

 _With fists clenched tightly, Dex left the room, slamming the door behind him..._

Dexter Barrington sat by the window in his and Roxi's room, staring out at the street below. Children were walking to the school just a few blocks away as the sun began to rise. The streetlamps were still lit. His mind was preoccupied with the thoughts of what had transpired yesterday at the morgue, and he felt awful. He knew he shouldn't have stormed out, but he was furious. At least one thing was certain – both sets of his grandparents would be paying for the funerals, neither wanting to lay that kind of money on Dex. Yes, Allison and Norbert had paid into life insurance and had taken care of most funeral expenses, but his grandparents would be covering what wasn't covered by the insurance.

Drawing one leg up to his chest, he set his chin on the knee and sighed. He hadn't slept all night. Actually, not for most of the week; not since he'd gotten the news. He had barely left the house, and hadn't even gone to check on Beary. He didn't know what he'd do if he went to see him. How would he speak to him? Would he rebuke him? After all, if only Beary had been able to protect their parents like he'd protected the infants, things would have been different!

"Not sleeping again?"

The young adult looked over at his wife, blinking sleepily on the bed. "Couldn't," he responded simply.

"Babe, you don't want to fall asleep during the funeral, do you?"

He looked back out the window. "I won't."

"Honey, I know you didn't want them buried at different times, but your grandparents..."

"I know, I know. They get final say on when the funerals are. Whoopdeedoo. At least they're allowing them to be buried next to each other."

"And that they aren't fighting to take Kristina from you anymore. It's a good thing your mother made those papers and had you sign them a few weeks ago. If she hadn't... Geez..." Roxi shook her head and sat up with a frown. "At least they haven't tried making a move on the house yet..."

"Dad told me that they were leaving it to me, anyway. Mom and Dad paid it off already. We'd just have to pay inheritance tax, utilities, etc. We... We'll figure it out. Just won't use that much energy until we can get on top of things. Once we finish high school and college, things will work out, I'm sure. And Jade said we could ask her for help if need be. So provided what Dad told me is correct, we don't need to worry about a place to live."

"I certainly hope so," Roxi responded. "We're going to need help with all of this. At least your mother left you a college fund, and we can use the money from Beary's grandparents to help keep the house through college, right? I can get grants and whatnot – I have great grades and I'm an independent, so that'll help with things. But first, high school. We have to go back."

"But what about Kristina and Tempest? We'd need a babysitter."

"Dex, this is Nashville; they have, at our school, a daycare. That'll help out a lot. What would help out more is if my mother and sisters would hurry up and get out here. I don't know what's taking them so long. I told them Daddy was badly hurt, and they still haven't come out. It's as if they don't care."

"Who knows. Maybe they'll show up today." Dex sighed, resting his forehead on his knee. "We're going to be going to my grandparents after the funeral. I'm not looking forward to it. Everyone will be sending us sympathies and whatnot. Already this week the neighbors have stocked us up on pastas and food baskets, as well as some baby things, too."

"It was nice of them, at least," Roxi laminated, grabbing for her robe and pulling it on. "I'm going to get a shower, and then I'll change the babies. Can you go start breakfast?"

"Yeah, sure." Dex finally got up off the window seat and sighed. "Pancakes?"

"That'll work for me. Tempest does love her pancakes."

"Loves making a mess, you mean."

"Well, yeah." She gave him a kiss and left the room. After a few minutes, he followed her, but went downstairs instead of the bathroom.

* * *

 **Please review!**


	6. Chapter Five

**Enjoy chapter five of Book IV - Tainted Melodies!**

* * *

 **.~*Chapter Five*~.**

Wearing charcoal leggings, a black sleeveless dress, black ankle heel boots, and a black coat with white buttons, and hair done up in a nice style, Roxi walked up the steps to her grandparents-in-law's home, a single-story two-bedroom home painted a nice light blue with white shutters. The garden was clear of dead plants, and the grass was entering a dormant state.

Behind her, carrying both baby carriers, Dex followed his wife. Dressed up nicely, he wore a dark suit, dress shoes, and pressed pants. His hair was flat, as he hadn't the heart to style it. His daughter and sister were both dressed in appropriate black dresses and a dark gray headband with a black flower on it.

Once inside, Dex set his young ones down and helped his wife remove her coat – more as a courtesy than anything – before picking them back up and went into the living room, staring at the room with a frown. The walls were a light yellow, the floor hardwood. On one wall was a stone fireplace with a rounded off opening in the wall with a display case within, and on the wall beside it was a large wooden cabinet with fake plants on top of it. Beside it was a spiraling plant. In the center of the room was a five-foot long coffee table, beside which was a tan loveseat with a table with decorations behind it. There were two windows on the wall opposite the cabinet, and to finish off the room was a decorative rug.

His Aunt Mary had arrived and was already sitting on the armchair close to the fireplace, reading a book. She was in a black skirt, white blouse, and a black jacket over top, looking very odd for her, considering she usually wore jeans. When he came in, however, she looked up and smiled. "Dex!" She set her book down and went over to him, pulling him into a hug as soon as he set down the young ones.

"Heya, Aunt Mary. Glad to see you could make it."

"I wasn't able to make it to see my new niece a few weeks ago, unfortunately, but I wasn't going to miss... miss my brother's funeral." She pulled back, wiping her eye. "I just wish I had been able to see him again while he was still..."

"I know. He wanted you there, too, but he knew you working on the Pentagon was important. However..." Dex turned and picked up Kristina out of her carrier. "Here's your new niece. I have guardianship of her now."

"Good. As much as I love my parents, they weren't the greatest with young babies, and I'm sure your maternal grandparents would fight for her, too. It's best for everyone that you take her." Mary looked down at her niece, cooing over her. "She's very beautiful, and it looks like she has red hair like her mother. I was worried that she'd be bald like your father."

"Dad wasn't fully bald," he responded softly, looking away.

"Honey..." Mary sighed. "Is this your wife you were telling me about in the emails we wrote to each other?"

Roxi stepped forward and shook her hand. "Roxi, yes. This is our daughter, Tempest Paige. Or Tempest Gypsy, depending on who you ask."

Mary smiled down at the little black-haired baby that stared at her with wide blue eyes. "Aren't you a dear? I'm a great-aunt! I feel so old!"

Dex managed a very small smile, before sitting down on the couch with a sigh. It felt odd being in his grandparents' home. The last time he'd been here alone, it was when his parents had left him and Beary here to be watched on a weekend when they both worked and the babysitter had canceled. Beary had been made to sit in a corner away from the furniture the entire visit unless they were eating. Dex, had, meanwhile, played video games. The next time he had visited with the entire family, his parents had been most upset to discover that Beary had immediately gone straight to the corner instead of visiting, and simply stayed where he was sat. Dex had thought it was most embarrassing.

And now he was here without his brother or parents. Just him, his wife, sister, and their daughter. He felt emptier for it.

Others began to stream in – a few friends of his father that he recognized, and a few that he didn't. His father's boss and business partner showed up as well. Many gave Dex and Roxi a few gifts, some of them monetary to help pay for things, and others scoffed at them a little when they saw Tempest and realized that Dex was taking in Kristina. Few believed he was up to the task. Some commented about Roxi, wondering why they had married so young, and a few even commented on his younger brother.

Dex was getting frustrated at the comments. He wanted to tune them out, and had tried, but to no avail. Eventually, he had moved Roxi and the girls out to his grandfather's office. For one thing, Kristina and Tempest were napping. For another, he just needed a break from all the talking adults.

Roxi set the diaper bag – with all their new "gifts" – on the ground and rubbed his shoulders. "Don't let them get to you. They don't understand the love your parents held."

"I know, I know. I get it. And if I fight back with them, it'll make things worse for us. They'll call me immature and try to fight for Kristina from us. Heck, maybe even Tempest."

"At least one of them offered you a job at selling boats. Pays good money."

"And another offered you work at a mechanic shop. Not sure how that happened." He raised an eyebrow at her.

Roxi laughed. "Hey, I'm good with my hands and I was taught a lot by my father over the years, plus I took such classes in school, remember?"

"True, true."

Roxi went on to say something else, but ended up pulling out her phone instead as it went off. "Hello? You're where? What?! Why didn't you tell me?! Ugh, fine. We'll meet up for dinner. Are you going to go visit Daddy? Why not? Don't be such an ass, Tani. Fine. Dinner." She hung up and sighed. "This day just... ugh."

"Sisters?"

"Both sisters and Mom. Strangely, my step-dad didn't want to come. Though, I can guess why." Roxi shook her head. "At least we haven't eaten yet."

"Yeah, that's true. Ya think we should leave now or wait for more people to show up?"

"The girls are sleeping right now... If we're quiet, we can leave now. The car'll lull them back to sleep."

Dex nodded. "I'll go tell my grandparents."

"And I'll get them settled into the car."

 _.~*~._

Roxi fidgeted a little as she sat at the table of the fancy restaurant _The Birdcat Chair_. Why had her family wanted to meet here of all places? Neither she nor Dex would be able to afford food for both of them, not at those prices. Hell, probably not even a single meal, considering the price per meal was in the triple digits. Then again, her mother was fairly rich now, after running several successful businesses; her eldest sister, Monica, was a successful accountant in Salt Lake City; and Tani was an actress in Hollywood and could be found on HBO. They could afford such meals. Roxi only hoped that they would be gracious enough to foot the bill for her and Dex.

"Calm down, Roxi. At least we were able to ask Tasha to watch the kids for tonight. No way we'd be allowed to bring them in here." Dex glanced around at the fancy restaurant nervously. He'd never been in here before. Driven past, yes, but never inside. He was already dreading dinner. Looking at the menu, his mouth went dry at the prices. The only things they could afford would probably be the water! He had a little bit of money in his wallet, but not nearly enough to cover a full meal! Glancing over at his wife, he realized she was having the same thoughts. He was about to suggest getting up and leaving, but just then the trio of her darker family appeared and took their seats, helped by a waiter that pulled out their seats and pushed them into the table.

Dex tried to stand up to meet them, but ended up knocking his chair out behind him in his hurry, causing a scene. Hurriedly, he sat back down, red with embarrassment.

Carmelita, Monica, and Tani pretended to not notice his mistake and instead looked at their menus before ordering their drinks, all expensive. They then looked at Roxi and Dex expectantly.

Roxi frowned. "I... I'll take a soda, please. Coke-cola."

The waiter looked at her with disdain, but said nothing. "And for you, sir?"

"Uh, the same, please."

"Very well." The waiter snapped his notebook shut and left the table in silence.

Dex licked his lips and looked over at his in-laws. "Uh... hello. It's good to see you again."

"Yes, it is. I wish it was under different circumstances," Carmelita, Roxi's mother, stated. "I am sorry about your parents. Roxi told me a few days ago that you were now caring for your younger sister? I know what it's like to be raising the child of another woman."

Dex blinked and raised an eyebrow, but Roxi didn't seem to notice, too preoccupied with trying to figure out what on the menu they could afford. Dex also noticed the glares that were being fixated on his wife by her sisters and frowned. "She's still my sister, and I will raise her as both a daughter and sister," he said simply. "That's what family is about."

The glares stopped, and the females looked at their menus.

As the meal went on, and they were served their courses – with Carmelita telling Dex and Roxi that things would be paid for and to enjoy a full dinner – the family made small talk, with Dex and Roxi explaining that they would finish school and go on to college, as well as their hopes for future jobs. When questioned about how college would be paid for, Dex explained that his brother's grandparents had given him and Roxi a large donation as a wedding present that would help them out with a few things, but making sure they knew the money would be going to taking care of the house for the next few years. He also explained that they were going to work their way through college, as well as he having college money left to him by his parents.

"So you've got a rich grandfather, then. That must be nice," the middle sister, darker-skinned Tani Collins muttered. "The rest of us made our money on our own."

"No need to be rude, Tani," the eldest, lighter black skinned sister, Monica Portman stated. "They're still young and this was all forced upon them. Plus, they are taking steps to be able to provide for their future."

"A firefighter and a teacher? Neither are paid very much, Monica," Tani complained. "Why not a veterinarian or a doctor?"

"That would cost too much money. Then again, they both have a benefactor, so perhaps it is possible," Carmelita spoke, eyeing both Dex and Roxi, who sighed and once again tried to explain that the money was for the house.

"Mrs. Britt, now that we've finished our meal, might I ask why exactly you asked us to meet you here instead of a more family-friendly restaurant so you could meet Tempest?" Dex questioned, confused.

"Why ever would I want to meet her?" Carmelita asked, perplexed. "She's not my grandchild."

Roxi's jaw dropped. "How can you say that?!"

"Simple. You're not my child. Never were. You were the offspring of an affair your father had many years ago. Did you never wonder why you are twelve years younger than Tani? Why you are so much whiter than they are? Yes, I helped raise you, but that was only because I could not stand to see you growing up in a bus and not receive a proper education. I had hoped that perhaps you might end up more like your sisters, but alas, here you are, not even nineteen, and you're a mother. You haven't graduated high school, and you're married. I had such hopes for you, for you were so bright, but you've dashed them. As of this moment, I wash my hands of you, and ask that you no longer contact me. I will not be having you asking for money to pay off any of your debts or to help you with your child. I've done that once before, and that was it. I wish you luck and love, but we are done here. Your sisters may choose to do what they wish. And do not worry about your father. I will help out where I can, as I do still have a place in my heart for him, but I will never forgive him for what he did."

Roxi was left slack-jawed at Carmelita's words. "I... Wait, what? You... You can't be serious! What the frack is wrong with you?! You ask us to dinner here, on the evening of Norbert's funeral, and you spring this on me?! Have you no compassion?!"

Carmelita turned up her nose and waved for the waiter and the bill – two separate tickets. Once it arrived, she got out her checkbook and wrote down the payment for her bill while Dex gulped and looked at the ticket for his and Roxi's meals, eyes almost popping out of his skull at the price. Over $200!

"You... You can't be serious. We don't have this money!" Dex gasped, horrified. "Maybe a hundred between the two of us, but that's it!"

Monica and Tani frowned, looking at them sadly, but neither spoke up. Neither were willing to risk their mother's wrath, though both had the money to help them out. As soon as their mother finished with the bill, they got up and followed her out of the restaurant, leaving behind two shell-shocked young adults.

 _.~*~._

Two hours later, Dex and Roxi were scrubbing plates, fishnets over their hair and rubber gloves over their hands and arms. Both were silent, fuming about what had happened, and the fact that they now had to work off their bill, and would probably be there until well past the restaurant closed at midnight – and it was only nine!

They were reprieved, however, when the manager came over and excused them from work, saying their tab had been paid for in full. He then directed them to gather up their coats and personal items, before leading them out the back door so as to not disrupt the other guests.

Once outside, the young couple glanced around, confused, turning when they heard a horn honking and Jade waving from her rental.

Dex sighed with relief and guilt. Had Tasha called Jade after their conversation with her? She must've. Jade must've paid the tab. He squeezed Roxi's hand and walked over to the she-bear. "You didn't have to do that."

"What I want to know is why the heck you two numbskulls came to the fanciest restaurant in Nashville without being able to pay your bill!" Jade growled, stepping out of her car in frustration. "What were you thinking?!"

"It wasn't us, we..."

"Dex, leave it be. Just... Just forget it and let's go home, all right? We gotta go get Kristina and Tempest and hope that this hasn't reached your grandparents. Lord knows how much trouble that'll cause." Roxi walked past Jade and to get their car back from the valet.

Jade frowned, watching her go. As soon as she was out of ear shot, she turned to Dex. "Spill."

So Dex did, telling her everything that had transpired that evening, watching as she grew more and more angry. "... And now I'm out here talking to you. Please, don't make a big deal about it, and don't tell Roadie. I don't... I don't know what to make of it. Nothing Roadie did could have caused Roxi to deserve any of this."

"I know. He made a mistake, but he chose to take care of things and helped raise his daughter. I'm sorry Roxi had to go through this, Dex. I really am. What is she going to do about college now, though?"

"I... I don't know. Maybe she can have Beary's college fund? He has all that money now, being heir and all." Dex sighed and looked at the ground.

"Speaking of Beary, why have you been staying away? I've been told he's had no other visitors, other than Social Services."

Dex's head shot up. "What do you mean, 'Social Services'?"

"What I said. They want to take custody of Beary and put him in a foster home. Simple as that. You can't take him, and Henry's bedridden. His grandparents want him, but apparently Henry's said no, thankfully." Jade shook her head, thinking once more on the information she held about William.

"I... I hadn't realized things had gotten so bad... Henry's in the hospital, too?"

"Uh, yes? So is just about everyone else, Dexter." Jade raised an eyebrow at him.

Dex groaned. "I... I want to see him, but at the same time, I can't."

"Because he didn't save your parents? Dex, that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of! He saved Kristina, Tempest, and Erik, as you damn well know! I'm sure he would have loved to save Allison and Norbert, but he couldn't! He used his freaky powers to save who he could. Hell, he didn't even try to save Jewel or himself! Just the babes!"

"I know! I know that, Jade. Yet, I... Gah! Just... Just leave me alone!"

Jade blinked. "Are you all right? Dex!" She reached out to grab him as he bolted, but missed. "Damn it." She watched as he left with Roxi in their car. Maybe she shouldn't have reacted the way she had, but damn it! He needed to listen to reason! She just hoped he wasn't headed for a breakdown.

 _.~*~._

Dex stood at the stove, mindlessly flipping a pancake. He was trying hard to not think about the previous day and their terrible evening.

At the table in the dining room, Roxi was quietly feeding Kristina a bottle while Tempest made a mess, eating her own pancake, getting the food in her hair and face, despite the fact that the pancake was very, very small, as she wasn't yet ready to eat a full portion.

Roxi glanced up at her, blinking in confusion. "Baby girl, how do you manage to do that?" She sighed and shook her head. "Clean up in the dining room, Dexter!"

"I'm cooking, can't you do it?"

"If I could, I wouldn't be asking you! I'm trying to feed your sister!"

Dex groaned. "Mom, can't you do it?"

Silence met his words as the skillet dropped to the ground with a clang. Dex turned to stare at the fallen item and the pancake that lay half-out of it. His ears filled with a buzzing sound, and he gave a bit of a swat in the air, as if there were a bug there flying around him, though it was nothing.

Numbly, he knelt down and picked up the skillet and pancake, throwing the pancake out the window for the birds, just like his mother used to do. He felt his hunger dissipate and he turned off the stove. He took the last plate of pancakes out to the table and set them in front of Roxi before sitting down, staring at his empty plate.

It wasn't until he felt her hand on his shoulder did he realize she'd been talking to him. "Huh?" He frowned at her look of pity. "Don't. I don't want your pity."

"Don't be an asshole to someone who wants to help you; who knows a bit on how you're feeling."

He scowled a little, but sighed and nodded. "I know... But unlike me, you still have one of your parents, even if he'll spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair."

"Dad's getting better, yes, but now I don't even know if I want to be associated with him. I mean, I do, but... All that's happened, I don't..." She sighed. "If I was the product of an affair, I want to know more. Why he had an affair in the first place, and what happened to my birth mother." Roxi bit her lip and pulled her arm away to continue to hold Kristina properly. She lifted her up to her shoulder to burp her. "All I've ever known has been taken away from me. I guess her statement last night answered my questions about why she loved me least. I was nothing but a reminder to her."

"Roadie's a good guy... I can't believe he'd cheat without something else going on first. Maybe she was cheating first? Maybe they were already separated and he was seeing someone else during that time? Carmelita got jealous and tried to screw him over?" Dex sighed. "Or maybe he really did cheat. Simple as that. I don't know... I just don't know."

"Whatever the reason, I'm the product of it and that's why she never loved me. Why wait so long to say anything, though? Why keep pretending when it was clear she'd never change her tune?" Once Kristina finally burped, Roxi lowered her back down and gently held her in one arm while using the other to eat her own food. "Let's just drop the subject for right now, all right? Are we going to the hospital later?"

"I thought about it... I need to speak to Beary. Figure things out. Are you visiting Roadie?" Dex glanced over at her, thankful that their conversation had distracted him from his heartache.

"He'll be upset if I don't. I doubt _they_ will. He's all alone in that room. Well, there's that other guy, uh... Bernie? I think that was his name. Bernie Ross? Yeah, well, anyway. They seem to get along well, so that's good." She took another bite of her pancake. "And don't think I haven't noticed that you're not eating... And I guess we're going to be giving Tempest a bath before we go, considering she's covered in pancake."

Dex finally looked at his daughter, blinking in surprise. He started to laugh. "She has no idea anything's happened. To her, nothing has changed. To be so carefree, that is something I could only wish for now."

Tempest eyed her father with confusion, before happily slapping her tray and gurgling, making a few little sounds.

Roxi frowned, however, eyeing him with worry, but she did not say anything about his statement, only asking him once more to eat.

Annoyed, Dex finally pulled a pancake to his plate and doused it with butter and syrup. "Happy now?" he snapped, cutting the pancake angrily and shoving pieces into his mouth.

"First off, don't get that snippy attitude with me, Dexter Barrington!" she growled, annoyed. "If that's how the rest of our lives are going to be, then-"

"Then what? Huh? You going to up and leave, too?! Fine, just go!" He slammed his fork down, threw back his chair – knocking it to the ground – and stomped off, slamming the front door behind him.

"If you had let me finish," she said softly, staring at his empty spot, "you would have heard me say that I think we need counseling. Sooner, rather than later..." Setting her fork down, she held Kristina close and began to cry.

 _.~*~._

Roadie glanced at his daughter out of the corner of his eye. It was just her and him in the room, as his roommate had been taken to physical therapy for a few hours. The normally long-haired man, whose hair had bene cut short because of the surgeons needing to release pressure on his brain with tubes, lay on the bed with a neck brace. He wasn't very comfortable, but he wasn't going to complain. He already knew he was paralyzed from the waist down, and he was trying not to think about it. Right now, that was easy, for what was on his mind was troublesome. "She told you, then?"

Roxi nodded, standing by his side so he could see her. She grasped his unbroken arm's hand. "Last night at dinner... before leaving us with an over $200 check. We paid off half of it, cleaned dishes for two hours, and then Jade showed up and paid off the rest."

"Vile woman. How dare she? Treat my daughter like that, even though I loved and raised hers."

The young woman blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Monica and Tani are not your biological sisters. Carmelita had an affair each time, not that she'd ever tell them that. I'm fairly certain she only remained with me because I was making a lot of money with the band. And then, on one tour..." He closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he smiled. "I met your mother – your birth mother. Average height, she had, with wavy black hair and a tawny skin tone. She would dress nice and stand in the fifth row at concerts, always looking at me. She was always smiling, and managed to get backstage a few times. The bears were surprised to find that she would bypass them and go straight for me, though countless others had ignored me. I was the infamous drummer and band roadie. No one cared about me. No one except for her.

"The first time we met, we just chatting. Talked lightly. Learned that she had come from a mixed-race family, where her father was white and her mother Iranian. She was an only child, unlike me, considering I have many brothers and sisters. She asked me a few questions, my likes and dislikes, and then she went on her way. A few days later, I saw her at another concert, and we talked again, but this time we went to hang out in a bar. No one knew me too well; couldn't identify me on the street if I didn't have one of the bears with me, so I blended in well.

"We shared a few beers, got a bit drunk, and just talked. She was trying to find her way in the world, as many did not approve of race mixing, and I told her that I understood completely. At this point, by the way, I was separated from Carmelita, getting ready to divorce. I explained to her that I was separated from my wife, and told her about her. Maybe it was the beer talking, but it felt great to get some of those things off my chest.

"I could talk freely with your mother, and not have to worry about being yelled at or having a frying pan be thrown at my head – that incident is what sparked our separation and impending divorce, though she'll deny it ever happened." He sighed. "I didn't see her again for a few more weeks, and I found myself, well, looking for her at every concert, hoping to see her again. I would write silly love songs and hide them away. I was happy. When I finally saw her again, we, well, you were conceived that night. At least, I think it was that night. Maybe it was the next..."

"Daddy, gross." But Roxi smiled, cheerful to see her father so happy in his memories.

Roadie chuckled. "Anyway, we saw each other a few more times after that, and then I ended back in Tennessee, where Carmelita was waiting for me, claiming she wanted to get back together. I refused her, as I was tired of things going wrong. Monica and Tani didn't want me around – they liked their mother's new boyfriend. Carmelita was furious they told me, and I was furious that she was trying to get back with me even though she'd found another. You can imagine how that argument went down."

"Yeah, I can." Roxi managed a small smile.

"A few months later, your mother found me at the _Hall_ and... And she brought you with her. She was scared and crying. Back then, to be an unwed mother was borderline crucifixion. She didn't know what to do. I, on the other hand, had doubts about you at first. I wanted to believe you were mine, but at the same time, I know of what some women would try to pull. I was worried that you had a different father. I made sure there was a paternity test, but even if the outcome had been negative, I would have loved you the same. You were helpless and innocent, and you looked just like her."

"You didn't trust her right away?"

"Would you?"

Roxi shook her head after thinking it over. "Go on."

"Once finding out that you were indeed mine, I told her she could stay with me until we figure something out. I couldn't marry her, as I was still married to Carmelita. However, she didn't want to stay with me. She told me she had made a mistake in sleeping with me, and she wanted me to take you. That she still wanted her freedom and not to be tied down with a child. She was desperate."

Roxi lowered her eyes. "She didn't want me..."

"Oh, I'm sure she wanted you, but couldn't care for you. She was young and a free spirit, and not yet ready to be tied down. She begged me to take you, as she knew I knew how to be a father. Ultimately, I agreed, and I made sure she knew that if she wanted to contact you, that I'd be at the _Hall_ , and so would you. At least, until Carmelita took you away in the divorce when you were six – as she had dragged out the divorce for as long as possible, milking me for all I was worth. I still don't know how she got custody of you, when you weren't hers to begin with, but I thought that she might be able to provide for you better than I could, and I was living on a bus... If I had known how she was going to treat you, I never would have let you go."

"Things weren't super bad. No physical abuse. Emotional, yes. I was the only one she didn't seem to truly love. I always wondered if I had done something wrong. I got the hand-me-downs, while my older sisters got new things. But if you two were separated, why did she hate me so much, when she herself was a cheater?"

"Her mind is a little off, I guess. She thought that she could do no wrong, despite everything she had."

"How did you find out Monica and Tani weren't yours?"

"Because I would get back from a tour, and she'd be three, four, five months pregnant, when I haven't seen her in six months. That's how it was with Tani. With Monica, she was already pregnant when we got married and tried to pass it off as a premature birth, though the baby had come out a normal size." Roadie sighed, thinking back on how hurt he'd been. "She thought I didn't know, but I had. I always have. Yet, I loved them as my own, and tried to raise them right and unselfish."

"Well, you partially succeeded. They treated me well. At least, until they became, uh, rich, I guess? I think the money went to their heads. Mom, I mean, Carmelita said that one other reason why she was 'cutting me off' was because of marrying Dex and having a child already. Marrying for love rather than for more wealth. I know I'm young, but I love him, Daddy."

"I know you do, sweetheart. I know you do." He squeezed her hand and smiled. "You two deserve all the happiness in the world together. I know you do. So what if you haven't finished high school yet? You're both planning on it, and you've told me you're planning on college, right?"

She nodded.

"Then it's a good thing that I made a college fund for you."

Roxi blinked. "Wait, what? You... You made a fund? For me? Why? You need that money for your medical bills!"

"I have more than enough. I'm not some poor redneck, ya know. I actually do have a lot of money. I always saved a little from every paycheck and hid it away in an account Henry and Helen set up for me, one that Carmelita did not know about and that I never told her about. When I was on tours and when I was back home, working in the mechanic shop. Yes, I paid child support, but I didn't have to worry about paying rent, not living on the _Hall_ and in the bus. I also worked sometimes as a janitor or a backup drummer on some recordings for new bands if their drummer came down sick or they couldn't find one. I've made a pretty penny over my life and was safe with my money. I've added Tani and Monica's college funds to your account after Carmelita made all her money and could send them to good colleges. You can go to a university, if you'd like. Please, Roxi, I didn't get to give you your honeymoon present. I was waiting until you got back to give you the news. You don't have to worry about not being able to afford college. I'll even pay for daycare while you two are there, or I'll watch the girls myself."

Tears welled up in Roxi's eyes. "You... You have no idea how much this means to me! I was so scared that what Dex wanted wasn't going to happen, and then he'd be supporting me!" She sat down on a chair, trying to control herself. The past two days had been quite the whirlwind for her. Now that she knew for sure that she still had a father that loved her very much, the rest of it didn't seem as important. She just wished Dex was here to enjoy this moment with her, but she hadn't seen him since breakfast when he'd stormed off. She'd been once again forced to lean on the Stones to watch the girls.

Once she had cleared her head, she stood back up and wiped her eyes. "Daddy, I have to go and find Dex. We need to work things out, and I need to make sure he knows he can cry on my shoulder. But I do have one question..."

"Go for it." He wiped his own eyes.

"What is my mother's name?"

He smiled. "Nina Vinter. And you know what else?"

"Hm?"

"She gave you the name Roxanne, to always remember that we met and a Country Rock concert." He smiled at his young child, laughing when she gave him a careful hug. "I love you, Roxi, and even though now I'm crippled, I want to make sure things are set right between us. I want to be the father you deserve, and if there's anything you need, you tell me, all right?" He smiled at her.

"I will, Daddy. I will." She kissed his cheek. "I'll be back tomorrow. Er, wait, no... Yeah, after school. I'm going back, whether Dex is ready or not."

"Make good choices and show them how smart I know you are!"

Roxi laughed as she left the room.

As soon as she did, Roadie's smile vanished. What was he doing, acting all happy and joyful? He was crippled, and now would be nothing but a burden to his child. Yes, he had money to care for himself, but where would he go? The _Hall_ was no place for him now, too far from a hospital, and there would be no one to care for him. He'd end up in a hospice of some kind, or an assisted living situation.

Gone was his independence, hopes, and dreams. He'd be chained to a chair the rest of his life, never to be able to do anything on his own. For the first time in a long time, Roadie felt completely hopeless. His stomach contracted into a tight ball, while the cold grip of reality clenched his heart. Tears rolled down his face as a lump formed in his throat.

His life was over far sooner than he expected it to be, and he didn't even have the finality of death to compensate this agony within him.

The band had trusted him to drive them to and from places safely, and he had failed in keeping he bus upright, landing all but Fred in the hospital. Perhaps it was fitting that now Roadie would never drive the bus again, for now, he could hurt no one else.

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 **Please review!**


	7. Chapter Six

**Enjoy chapter six of Book IV - Tainted Melodies!**

* * *

 **.~*Chapter Six*~.**

It was wet. It was cold. It was a mixture of rain, wind, and snow, the kind that you turn up the collar of your coat against if you had to go out, or stay inside by the fireplace sipping cocoa if you didn't.

Dex walked in silence, not quite sure of where he was, and didn't bother to find out. He kicked a few wet leaves, pausing, and glanced up to see a few leaves still clinging to the trees in the harsh weather as rain and snow pelted his face like little knives. When had the weather gotten so bad? He wasn't quite sure. The last thing he could really remember was the fight with Roxi, grabbing his coat, and storming out of the house.

Was she sitting at home, wondering where he was? Was she sick with worry? Was she furious with him? Was she crying? Nah, Roxi didn't cry. She was too punk to cry.

She had every right to be angry with him after his outburst. He knew Roxi; she'd never suggest separating. What had she been trying to say? Why hadn't he simply stayed and listened? It wasn't her fault that he was so crabby. A week with little sleep would do that to a guy. Hell, he'd barely eaten, too, except for that meal at _The Birdcat Chair_ last night. He was still upset over that. Not because of what his ex-mother-in-law had done, but because he had been made a fool of. He didn't want to feel as useless or as foolish again.

Looking back to the sidewalk, he began to walk once more, unaware of how much he was shivering. Where was he, anyway? Glancing around, he realized he didn't know this part of the city, with its rundown buildings and angry looking kids sitting on the steps of porches and apartment front stairs. It looked like a place where his parents had forbidden him to go because it was where a lot of crime had happened. Great.

Wrapping his arms around himself, he kept walking, getting more and more lost by the minute, and thus more panicked. He could feel eyes upon him, softly spoken questions asked about him. _Who is that? What's he doing here? Should we jump him?_

Digging his nails into his palms, Dex quickened his pace. He wanted to get out of here! He wanted to go back home, where his mother would keep him safe!

The thought stopped him cold. His mother was gone. She'd never save him again. Never call his name, laugh at his father's lame jokes that he would never crack again. Never again would Dex smell his mother baking cookies or other treats, or feel a warm embrace from her arms after a particularly bad day.

He was alone.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

Dex froze and turned around to find a black man with a few visible gang tattoos and gold chains draped from his neck, his puffy hair pulled back in a ponytail and a mean expression was on his face. He blinked a few times before pausing. "Wait... AJ?"

"Dexter Barrington?" Andrew James asked, confused. "I thought I recognized you, but I wasn't sure. Haven't seen you in two years." He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and frowned. "You look like hell. What are you doing in these parts?"

"I could ask you the same thing, AJ."

"A lot's changed in these past years. Dad's high expectations caused a nervous breakdown and I left the house and came out here. Made a few friends and joined a gang – sorta. Not a bad bunch of guys, actually. Not like those you see on TV shows. Yeah, we got a few guns, but who doesn't these days?"

"That doesn't sound like you, though. You're the Playstation, Guitar-Hero gamer! Jeez... Have you even gone home since you left? Finish school?"

"No, to both. I see my folks from time to time, but I don't talk to them. They'd be too disappointed in me. Never finished school, either. Dropped out. Stupid, I know, but I just couldn't handle it. Plus, you were gone, and the other guys just kinda... I don't know. I was scared for you, man, after I heard about what happened in Salt Lake City. Did you really get shot?"

In response, Dex pulled back his jacket and shifted his shirt collar, revealing the scar.

"Damn, dude. That looks painful."

"Roxanne thinks it look sexy."

AJ snorted. "You two still kickin' it together? Sweet."

"We're married now, and have a daughter named Tempest. I've also recently became guardian of my baby sister, Kristina." Dex's eyes lowered, causing AJ to gasp.

"Oh, shit, bro, I just remembered what happened to your folks. Man, I'm sorry. That was a cold way to go."

"It's worse than that – the crash was a cover up. The... The asshole who caused it, he... He shot... He shot and killed my Mom..." A mighty grief filled him, spreading like cancer. Throat tightening, and face twisting in anguish, he let his tears fall down. "My mommy was murdered!"

AJ stared at him, shocked to see him begin to break down, not to mention use the term "mommy". Finally, he decided to pull him off the streets and took him to the porch of the place he was staying, letting him cry as he sat down on a chair. Anyone who bothered them, AJ shooed off, telling them that his friend had just lost both his parents at the same time.

As it got later in the evening, with Dex finally calming down but simply sitting there on the porch, staring at the ground catatonically, AJ brought him something to eat. "You ain't going home tonight, bro. It's too late, I don't have a car, and it's not safe to roam these streets at night. Roxi won't be too pleased if you get shot again. Come on inside, okay? I got a couch you can crash on."

Dex nodded as he nibbled on his food. "I should call her so she doesn't panic." He reached down, paling when he realized he didn't have his phone. "Well, shoot."

"Forget your phone, eh? When you'd get one, anyway?"

"Back before Salt Lake City, remember? It was how Roxi called the emergency services after I was shot." Dex sighed and finished the sandwich. "Thanks for the food."

"You're welcome. Now get inside, we've got the place to ourselves tonight. The others have gone to a party." AJ frowned at the thought, as he had wanted to go as well, maybe meet a pretty girl and get laid, as well as get high or drunk. Instead, he had chosen to stay behind and take care of his friend that desperately needed help, even though Dex wouldn't admit to it. "I don't have a phone for you to use, either, but you're welcome to stay as long as you need to. I got you some fresh clothes, too. Might be too big for your scrawny ass, though."

Dex scowled at him. "I'm not scrawny."

"You are, and you know it. Get off your ass and get inside before you get sick, not that you probably aren't already, considering you've been sitting in wet clothes for hours."

Dex sighed and finally got up, following his friend inside the worn down building.

The inside of the house was just as bad as the outside, but at least it was dry, even though it smelled like a corpse. Great. He looked over to the couch with a grimace, nostrils wrinkled against the smell. The couch was ratty and not in the greatest condition, but at least AJ had put a few clean blankets folded on it. "Dude, why do you live here? Maybe you should think about going home, too. You're better than all of this."

"Just go get changed, Dex. I'll find us a show to watch before having a cigarette outside. Unless you want one?"

Dex shook his head and grabbed the clean clothes, heading in the direction of the bathroom his friend pointed out. As soon as he entered, his lips curled with disgust as he looked at the filthy floor, grimy sink, and a toilet that didn't look like it had been cleaned in years. Opening the lid to the toilet bowl, he felt the bile rising in his throat when he found it was clogged with poop and toilet paper, stinking to high heaven. He quickly shut the lid and went to wash his hands, only to find that the sink faucet didn't work.

He didn't want to take off his shoes. He wanted to get out of there.

Very carefully, he took off his wet pants, thankful the wide legs fit over his shoes, if just barely. The new ones, however, weren't as lucky, and he tripped and landed on the toilet. That would have been bad enough, but the lid cracked in half and his hand fell into the gross water.

Outside in the living room, AJ glanced up from where he sat on the couch at Dex's scream. He ended up roaring with laughter as Dex came out of the bathroom, shuffling with his pants around his legs and his arm covered with watery brown. "Oh, gross! Did you fall in the toilet?!"

"YES! I NEED STERILIZATION!"

"No shit." AJ made him follow him into the kitchen, hold his arm over the sink, and used the spray hose to clean the crap off his arm. He doused his arm with soap as well, making Dex rub it in, and continued laughing as Dex washed his arm three more times. "How on earth did you fall into the toilet?"

"Your bathroom is disgusting, so I didn't want to take off my shoes, and they got stuck in those jeans, and I fell and broke through the lid!"

"You broke the lid?! Oh, man, Cliff's gonna be pissed!" Seeing the terrified look on his paler counterpart's face, he snickered. "I'm joking. He's not going to care. His buddy's coming over to fix the toilet tomorrow, anyway. So, gonna finish pulling up your pants or are you just going to stand there half naked?"

Dex looked down and groaned, fixing his clothing. "I'm not going back in there."

"Don't blame you. If ya gotta go, go outside or use the tub. Just make sure you wash the piss down." AJ laughed. "I'm going to have a cigarette. Get your bed ready. I'll stay up with you so that Cliff doesn't throw you out when you get back. I don't think he'll make you join the gang. Heck, I'm just a probation member, not full-fledged yet."

"Then you still have time to go home. Please, AJ, you're better than this. Come back home. You're my best friend, and I want to fix things between us."

"Stop being so sappy. Maybe I'll stop by tomorrow, I don't know. Wouldn't be too awful, I suppose... And I guess I would rather be back at my parents' place than living in this craphole. But these guys also took me in off the streets. Showed me the high life, ya know?"

"You started taking drugs?!"

"Just weed, and not all the time. Only when I'm stressed. Nothing else. Stop judging me, Dexter."

Dex sighed and went into the living room to change his shirt. "Thanks for the dry clothes, AJ. Really. And for letting me stay here. I'm just... I haven't been in a place like this before, not even when Rox and I were, uh, being held captive."

"Captive?" AJ sat down, and Dex sat next to him. "Care to tell the class?"

"Might as well. It'll probably answer your questions as to why I wouldn't contact you. Or, rather, why I couldn't." So Dex began his tale, telling from the night of the wedding, to the shooting, to the witness protection program, and to getting capture. He explained all that had happened on the mountain and to their escape and Beary's sacrifice. He talked for hours, with AJ asking questions every so often.

Finally, Dex began to doze off, and AJ made him get up to make his bed, and then settled him down upon it. Once Dex was out, his friend sat down by the couch with a sigh, thinking. Maybe Dex was right. He should go back home. He didn't like being here, but if he did go home, how would he ever be trusted to leave again? He wanted a steady relationship, too, not a random hookup. He wanted to get his life in order, like Dex was trying to keep his, despite all that had happened in his life.

He decided he would tell Cliff that night that he was leaving.

 _.~*The Country Bears*~._

Roxi was petrified. It had been three days since she'd last seen her husband. She had hoped he'd be back the night of their fight, or the morning after, or, hell, even after she returned from school! No such luck, though, and it was now day three of his absence. Had something happened to him? He'd left his phone behind after storming out, and now she had police out looking for him.

She was tired, frazzled, and scared. She had gotten little to no sleep the past three days, from her schoolwork to caring for the girls, to worrying about her best friend and lover. What if he never came back?

She couldn't balance the two girls, school, job searching, and worrying at once! If he never came back, she'd go insane. She was trying to be strong, but she had never expected to be completely on her own. She felt sick to her stomach with fear.

He wouldn't just abandon her and the girls, would he?

While Kristina and Tempest would take naps, Roxi would find herself sorting and cleaning things that didn't need it; anything to keep herself busy. Eventually, she'd drift off to sleep, only to wake with a jolt from a horrible nightmare in which she lost Dex, too.

She couldn't sleep and forced herself awake with many cups of coffee. She was on the brink of psychosis.

She had just tucked the girls into their cribs for bed in the nursery when the doorbell rang. She immediately charged down the stairs and threw it open. "Where the **_hell_** have you been?!" She paused and looked her husband up and down.

Dex's clothes were disheveled, ripped, and torn. He had a black, swollen eye, a cut on his cheek and lip. His hair was greasy and gross, and he smelled like urine and blood. His shoes were missing, too.

"D-Dex? What the hell happened to you?!" She pulled him into the house, covering her nose with her mouth. "You march right upstairs and get a shower! Yuck! No, no talking. You go get your butt clean! Gross! Those clothes are going to be thrown away, too!"

Dex didn't say a thing but did as she asked, leaving bloody footprints in his wake.

Roxi went out on the porch to get some fresh air, and glanced around, letting out a startled cry when she saw another person on the porch. She readied her fists before realizing who it was. "AJ?"

"Oh, hey, Rox." AJ was just as disheveled as Dex was, though he still had his shoes. At least, one of them. "So, uh, guess you're wondering what happened?"

"No shit, Sherlock."

"It's simple. Dex ended up on the wrong side of town, hung out with me for a night, and accidentally got caught up in a small gang war. We both got out alive, obviously, but not without a few bruises." AJ shrugged. "I tried to keep him out of it as much as possible, but it was kinda difficult."

"How did you get involved in a gang fight? If you're part of one, I want you gone right now!"

"I'm not. Not anymore. Wasn't fully part of it, anyway, and I never signed up for any street wars. Glad these are just Henna tattoos and I didn't get them permanent. Though, I see that you and Dex got inked."

"Yes, we did." Roxi looked him up and down, not sure what to do. Normally, she might invite him in to get cleaned up, but the way he was dressed and what he said, she didn't know what to do. What if he brought trouble to their home? However, Dex had said before that he wanted to look into AJ being Tempest's godfather, but now Roxi wasn't so sure on the subject. Heck, she wasn't even sure if she wanted her daughter baptized; after all, Roxi hadn't been, though she believed in God. She's rather Tempest make the decision for herself when she was old enough to decide.

"Are you going to go home, AJ?"

"Tomorrow, maybe. At least, that's what I'm planning, but I don't know if they'll accept me back. If they don't, I'm homeless."

Roxi sighed. "Come in and get cleaned up. You can sleep on the couch tonight, but any funny business and you'll get my fist in your face. Got it?"

He put his hands up. "Whatever you say. I'm not looking for trouble. Trust me."

She studied him for a few moments before nodding. "There's some dinner leftover, but I guess I'll make some more. Dex'll be done with the shower soon, I'm sure."

"Thank you, Rox. And it is good to see you. Dex tells me you guys tied the knot? Have a kid?"

"Tempest, yes. She's sleeping for the night. At least, I hope so."

"You look like you need some sleep, Rox."

"Because my husband vanished! I've been taking care of the girls alone for the past three days, balancing school, job hunting, and all that BS!" She stormed inside and sat down at the dining room table. "Just... Just keep quiet. I have a headache."

AJ nodded and followed her silently, knowing better than to raise a ruckus.

 _.~*The Country Bears*~._

Erik's eyes were wide and his nose in overdrive as his great-grandmother pushed his stroller through the large greenhouse filled with roses and other flowers.

"Can you say 'rose', darling?" Gwyneira asked, stopping by a bush.

"Ro! Ro!" Erik responded with a giggle.

"Very good, my sweet! Oh, what a smart boy!" Gwyneira knelt in front of him, showing the blooming white rose to the young Taylor. "Soon this will be big and beautiful, just like you." She gently stroked his face, thinking back to when her Henry was his age. Things were much simpler then. It was just her, William, and the only son she would have.

She had been so happy with her miracle child [she had had many miscarriages before his birth] and wanted to hold him always. All small and little, but always up to mischief with her or the servants; never with William, though. William didn't like children very much, and his son was no exception.

The first time William had hit him, Gwyneira had been furious. How dare William, a huge 6'1" grizzly, strike a child of less than three feet in height? All Henry had wanted was his father's attention, and William had instead struck fear in the young child of three years.

William had, of course, apologized. He always apologized, but his words began to mean less and less over the years until they meant nothing at all. He'd try to make it up in other ways, such as jewelry and toys. Gwyneira remembered wondering if he did not realize that all she wanted was his love.

A few years later, when Henry was five, she gave birth to a daughter, Andrea. To her surprise, William took to her immediately and spoiled her endlessly, turning into a brat who thought she could always get her own way. It wasn't long before she was bossing her brother around and William directed her to, not happy with how sappy his son was. That Andrea was stronger than him.

Gwyneira sighed, thinking back on the memories. Henry had always been a sweet boy, full of love and kindness. He didn't treat others with terror or hatred, but with a careful disposition. There was one instance in high school, however, where William's parentage and purebred nature brought out the worst in Henry and the boy had been torturous to one she-bear, who, amusingly, snapped him back from what he was becoming and married him.

It was no surprise that Henry came out better than Andrea had, with one female he loved deeply, whereas Andrea had started taking mates left and right, much to the disappointment of Gwyneira. It was one thing that she and William agreed on – that their daughter had become a mess while their son a successful businessman.

"Ro! Bee!" Erik cried, pulling her out of her thoughts.

Gwyneira turned to her great-grandson and smiled, running a paw over his ears. "Bee?" She looked over, smiling when she saw the honeybee that lived in the greenhouse. In the colder months, the bees were moved into a special spot in the building, and then when it warmed up, they were taken back outside to roam free. "That's right, baby boy. Bee. Good job."

Erik giggled and cooed, pushing his head up against her paw. He liked these little bits of attention from her, so different from the nurse William had hired to care for him.

"Shall we get going back to the house, dearest?" the she-bear asked, standing up. "I think it's time for someone's lunch!"

"Lun!"

She laughed and began to push the stroller out of the greenhouse and across the grounds.

 _.~*The Country Bears*~._

Cinnamon furred, black bear race Norma Jean O'Neal sat beside the bed of her sole-surviving son, holding his paw gently, her old and tired brown eyes looking over the pages of a book she was quietly reading to him. It was his favorite, _The Wizard of Oz_. Oh, how he had begged her to take him to the cinema when the movie was re-released for an anniversary showing.

Every day she came here and sat by his side, reading him a few more chapters from the book, hoping that he might wake up, though her husband, Sean, would tell her she was being silly; that he had been in a medically induced coma so he could heal better without so much pain. That he was now heavily sedated and would be awake soon enough.

She paused in her reading and turned around in her chair to look over at her red-brown furred husband, who sat in a chair by the window, looking out and lost in thought. Norma believed she knew what he was thinking about – their other son, the twin brother of Tennessee, Memphis, who had died in a car crash when the twins had been sixteen. It was a memory that still haunted both parents.

It was the crash that changed their surviving son, making him depressed and lonely, as for so long he'd always had Memphis by his side. And then, one day, nearly a year after the accident, they had heard him playing music. A few months later, and he was in a band that would one day become famous.

"Sean, dear, stop staring out the window. It's a very nice cloudy day, and we do have a lovely view, but come and see your son."

"Norma Jean, please... I can't stand to see him in the hospital again. Every time I do, I see Memphis and am reminded of how I've failed as a father."

"Sean, no, you have not failed. Come here, baby. Come and look at your son. He is alive. He isn't Memphis. Tennessee is going to live and recover from his injuries – the doctors say so! Please, darling, don't turn your back on him now."

"I'm... I'm not turning my back on him. I just don't want to see him all banged up like he is. No, he's not as bad as his wife, but he was still thrown from his car. He's lucky they were able to fix his leg instead of amputate! He's probably going to end up with a limp!"

"Sean... At least he'll live."

"Yeah, he's going to wake up to find out his son's dead and his daughter's in a coma and unresponsive." Sean put a paw to his head with a sigh.

Norma's eyes and ears lowered at the thought of the grandchild they had lost, the one they were pose to losing if she did not recover. The only good news was that she wasn't brain dead. Poor little Zak, the grandson she never got to hold as they had been in Ireland for months visiting the O'Neal in-laws who were moving into a nursing home and needed their home packed up. If only she had known that she'd never meet her grandson, she would have come back to the States so much sooner!

She knew Sean felt the same way. The blow to their family was harsh, and they often wondered what they had done to deserve so much sorrow. Had they angered the gods? No, that didn't make sense. The gods would not go after individuals for angering them. They were there to guide, not interfere. To protect the souls, but not the body.

Sean looked over at his wife, hearing her sniffle. "Norma, please... Come over here and let me hold you. Let me make things better and do what I can." When she finally did, he pulled her into his arms and held her close, wiping away her tears. "Tennessee will make it, my love. He's strong, though he's a crybaby. You said the doctors say he'll recover, yes? Then he will." He rocked her back and forth, brushing his nose against her hair.

 _.~*The Country Bears*~._

The short black bear walked through the halls of the ICU, making comments every so often about patients and how they were being treated. She wore almost trashy clothes that barely covered her very thin body. Her hair and fur was ragged and greasy, and her eyes wild and untamed. She had doused her smell with a huge amount of perfume, making quite a few people gag at the stench.

She had almost not been allowed inside the hospital, but she had sweet-talked her way. Her spirit had been broken for years, and thus had no problem giving the security guard a quickie, after which he led her up to the ICU to search for her daughter.

Straightening her short skirt that barely covered anything, the painfully thin she-bear finally found her daughter's room by scent alone.

Seeing her prone golden daughter on the bed made her press her lips together. She looked so much like Yukon had before his drowning death that ruined Judith's life. Things had been so perfect! She and Yukon were going to pretend that Trixie's cub would be theirs, and no one was the wiser. No one else in the family knew about the ten-year-old's rape or pregnancy, and her parents had fought to keep it that way – even going as far as to pull Trixie out of school and homeschool her.

While Yukon had been proud of how strong their daughter was, how she wasn't letting the fear, anxiety, and depression conquer her, Judith hadn't felt the same. She felt shame in that her daughter hadn't protected herself better. That she had brought it upon herself. She did not blame her brother for finding the young cub beautiful, as Trixie would usually wear robes or simply a shirt out in the country. So when Judith had found out what her brother had done, she blamed Trixie for it. It was one thing that she and Yukon fought about.

And when it was found out that Trixie was pregnant at such a young age, and Judith's brother mysteriously vanishing, Yukon convinced her to not have an abortion – as Judith had been ready to use a metal hanger to force an abortion – and to pretend the child was theirs. Judith hadn't wanted to, but she didn't want to fight with the bear she loved.

However, when he died and left her with Trixie and newborn Natasha, she was done. She packed up and moved to the city and stopped caring. She blamed Trixie for their problems, believing if she hadn't gotten down and dirty in the first place, Yukon would still be there.

Her spirit broken, Judith had started frequenting bars and crack houses. She made new friends that helped her get high and forget. When her money started to run out, she had made Trixie, who has suffered another rape at the age of thirteen, go out into the night and make money, telling her that she was a slut anyway.

After a few weeks of sending her out, Trixie started going out on her own. Maybe it was because Judith would beat her if she didn't, or maybe it was because she'd rather Natasha not starve. Judith couldn't care less, for it just proved to her what she already believed about her sole daughter.

When Trixie took Natasha and left, Judith didn't follow, though there went her money. She instead took to the streets, bedding a different person every other night. She gave up her apartment and moved in with a boyfriend, where they constantly screwed each other over.

As the years passed, she became more and more angry at the success of Trixie and Natasha. Trixie became a famous singer, and Natasha was going to medical school to become a doctor. They were both going to have a better ending than Judith did.

It was one reason why Judith was so delighted when the band broke up and Trixie separated from her boyfriend and was on her own. She was glad to have the tramp brought back down to size. But when the band got back together, Judith was back to being miserable, at least until she learned of Jewel. Another golden she-bear in the family, and Jewel was a slut, too, already having a child of her own.

Sitting down in the chair beside the bed, Judith ran her eyes over her child, an expression of indifference upon her face. A neck brace, full arm and upper chest cast, along with a leg cast, and her jaw was wired shut. Her ear was stitched back to her head, and didn't look like there would be much of a scar. Not that she had to worry, considering she had fur. Judith also knew she had been skewered through her torso, but she didn't bother to lift the blanket and hospital gown to confirm.

"You're going to hate yourself when you wake up, Trix. You couldn't keep your family safe, you freak. You let Zak die, and now Jewel is probably going to die, too. I'm surprised Natasha didn't get caught up in it. Figures that your firstborn wouldn't be harmed or even in the crash. You're such a disappointment. However, you have access to drugs, so I'm going to use you to get at them, my dear." She looked over at one of the bags above her daughter's bed. _Morphine_ , one said, and she grinned. Following the line down, she pulled the needle out of the IV line and pushed it into her own vein, knowing just where to stick it.

Feeling the liquid entering her bloodstream, she purred and closed her eyes, leaning back in her chair. It took only a few minutes for her senses to grow hazy and for her to start to feel tired. Such a great feeling, to be able to be tired and sleepy. It was such a rare thing these days. Gods, it felt amazing. She was ready for a full on nap with such a thing. ' _Thank you, daughter, for getting so injured. Now I have an endless supply, provided no one finds out. There's so many I can visit and steal from!_ ' Judith grinned to herself, thinking about how she would do such a thing.

Feeling herself starting to numb, she sighed and pulled the needle out of her flesh. Studying it for a moment, she returned it to its original spot in the IV line, though it was useless as the bag was empty – there hadn't been much in there to begin with. She didn't care if she passed on any diseases, especially not to Trixie. Let her rot and die, she didn't care.

Getting up, she looked over at her child and spit on her face before leaving. She needed to find a new person to take medicine from.

 _.~*The Country Bears*~._

"Hey, Ted?" Fred Bedderhead sat by his brother's bed, hoping he'd be awake. Ted, however, snored on, leaving the younger Bedderhead to sigh softly. Ted very rarely listened to him. Thinking back, Ted had been that way since they were cubs. Always a busybody and roping him into dangerous things and then blaming him when things went wrong.

Like the time they had been climbing trees and gotten into honey. Ted had told him to climb into a certain tree to get honey, only to discover that he'd just climbed up to a wasp nest. Or the time when Ted had broken the windshield to their father's car and blamed it on him.

And yet, Ted wanted him to dress up and play "band" with him when they were children, putting on shows for their parents' amusement.

There was also the time when they were teenagers that Ted had stolen his girlfriend right before homecoming. Fred had been furious, but Ted didn't care. He ended up with a hot date and Fred with no one to dance with, so he'd stay by the buffet, the lonely fat kid that no one wanted to be seen with on such a night. Hell, even a couple bullies had decided to dump a bucket of chicken blood on top of his head, knowing full well that he was hemophobic. He ended up having a breakdown and was taken to the hospital. Ted had laughed at him.

When Ted brought Zeb home, though, after Zeke had died, he had changed. He treated Zeb more like a brother from day one than he had treated Fred, though he gotten better at being a real brother. The day the band formed, Fred finally felt like he had a real brother. When Ted chose to move out to Nashville, Fred and Zeb went with him, but Ted didn't do what he said he'd do - he didn't fully open the Nashville branch of their father's company. He kept it open for a few months while helping out with the Pendleton tornado, but closed it down after the talent show, much to the utter anger of their father – it was the only thing Ted couldn't blame Fred for.

Their fame brought them closer together, at least until Ted started to become greedy, right around the time Ted convinced them to switch managers from the Taylors to Rip Holland, a greedy man with only his own interests in mind. It was around that time that Fred started using marijuana, usually making pot brownies. Ted also started taking LSD from time to time, which Fred was sure accounted for a lot of the things that went wrong between the band during that time, with Ted becoming delusional. At least when they finally went back to the Taylors, Helen helped him out with rehab, keeping it out of the papers to the best of her abilities.

Things only got worse from there. The rehab had worked, but Ted's personality was terrible those first few months when they were back with the Taylors. He started seeing Esmeralda, the polar bear taller than Fred that wanted into their beds. Fred felt bad for her, actually, for all she seemed to have on her mind was sex and desperation, something that Ted wouldn't give her. However, Fred could remember a morning where he woke up naked beside her, the night before a blur. He didn't know what happened, other than they had been talking and then nothing. Had he slept with her? He didn't know for sure, but he never told anyone about it, and she had never brought it up again, other than calming down a bit, much to his relief.

That didn't stop her involvement in the band's breakup, though, and Ted's denial of the accusations that Esmeralda had been trying to sleep with the others, among other things such as wanting of money, Ted's major ego, and just general unhappiness.

After the breakup, Fred moved as far away from his brother as he could. He went to San Francisco, met a beautiful ashen brown she-bear named Lorelai, courted her, and married her within a year. A year later, they had the identical male twins Kenai and Kodiak, and a year and a half after that they had the identical female twins Senshi and Sifer. There had been one more boy a few years later, Kitai, but had sadly died a few months after birth under Fred's watch, from SIDS. Kitai's death had been one reason why his marriage had dissolved. Lorelai hadn't been able to handle losing her son, though they still had two others.

After that, she filed for divorce, and that was it. She wanted him to have no further contact with their children, but to pay for child support and send them gifts on their birthdays and Christmas. So Fred stayed away, pining for his children, and moved back to Memphis, where his parents lived. He stayed with them for a few months until he got back onto his feet, before renting an apartment and becoming a security guard.

Then Beary and Henry had come to get him, the band reunited, and he finally got to knock Ted out. That had felt rather good. Since then, they had mended their relationship and ironed things out.

Now here they were, Ted in a hospital bed and Fred sitting by his side, trying to get his attention.

"Ted? Are you awake yet?" he asked again, hoping that he'd respond this time. He was tired of the quiet. He wanted his brother to pay attention to him, just this once. He wanted to fix things between them and apologize for what he'd done in almost crushing Zeb in the crash, and almost Ted, actually.

"Shh... Trying to sleep..." Ted muttered, annoyed. "Don't wanna get up yet, Freddy."

Fred smiled a little and shook his head. "Fine, fine. I'll be quiet and read next to the window." He got up, picked up the book he'd grabbed from a large family meeting room on the floor, and moved over to the window seat, settling in and opening the book, unaware of Ted watching him from his bed with a smile on his face.

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 **Please review! It doesn't take long!**


	8. Chapter Seven

**After this chapter, I'm going to do a little break from posting so I can get things done.**

 **I need to work on catching up on book 4, and I need to add more chapters to the AU so I'm ready to post it. When we get back into book 4, it'll be after a two month timeskip anyway. xD**

 **Which, shockingly, goes perfectly, considering the current real life timeline is in par with the chapter! Only off by two days! So when the story gets going again, it'll be about... January 9th, which is what it'll be in the story itself!**

 **[delighted]**

 **So give me a couple weeks of working [at least 2] and I'll get going on finishing the AU sequel along with working on Book 4. Once I get far enough along on the AU sequel, I'll be posting it as my holiday story. :) Stay tuned!**

* * *

 **.~*Chapter Seven*~.**

 ** _The next day, November 9th, 2005..._**

 _This reading from the gospel of  
St. John has so much to say to us  
about death and the separation of  
the beloved Allison we experience today._

Dex sat solemnly at the front of the church, eyes fixated on the expensive solid cherry wood casket that held his mother with the white pall, the funeral cloth, draped over it. The pall represented the resurrection, and the large blue Cho-Rho at the center represented Jesus Christ. Surrounding it were the symbols of the Eternal Life [a crown], the Holy Spirit's presences [a flame], along with the Latin word _Pax_ , which mean _the Peace of God_. The pall itself symbolized the clothing of the departed believer in Christ's purity and beauty, and emphasized equality in God's sight; that none have any special claim, and that all leave this life as they were born into it – with nothing but God's love.

Beside the casket was a stand with the large flower arrangement that would go on the casket when the pall was removed. Dex knew another reason why the pall was there, other than to show a symbol of resurrection, was to prevent the display of such a costly coffin. Dex knew it was costly because his grandparents had griped about how his mother had wanted a simple one and had instead decided to "upgrade" her final resting place, much to Dex's disproval. However, when he had voiced his opinion, he had been silenced and reminded that he was not paying for the funeral, thus had no say in anything.

 _Death evokes different responses in us.  
In general our response to death is one of denial.  
Most men and women live a life of denial of death.  
That means, if we someone dying or dead, we think that it is his fate not ours.  
We try to forget is as soon as possible and get on with life.  
After all it has not affected me.  
I am not going to die, not so soon anyway.  
This is the most common reaction to death.  
This was my reaction too before my mother died._

Beside him, his wife sat as they listened to the sermon being given. She felt rather out of place at this church, as this was only the second time she'd been to mass – she believed that worship didn't have to be done in a church, thus rarely went, whereas Dex had stated he wanted to start going every week, that it wasn't that much of a bother. He'd also stated that he wanted Kristina baptized, as that had been his parents' wish, which Roxi had no problem with. In fact, they would be talking to Father O'Brien after the funeral service to set a date for the baptism. Wiping a tear from her eye, she looked over at the sleeping girls, thankful they were being quiet. She turned her gaze back to her husband and squeezed his hand. She could see the unwiped tears streaming down his face. She had passed him a tissue, but he refused to use it, and she wouldn't shame him for it.

 _But when someone close to us, when someone whom we loved so much,  
when someone who meant so much to us dies,  
we are deeply hurt and our heart is troubled and we begin to question everything.  
What is life? Why is death? Where is God?  
All these questions rise out of our inability to cope up with death.  
It is in this context the Gospel  
today comes alive and gives meaning to our  
death and separation we feel._

On the other side of Dex was his maternal grandparents, Nellie and Jim. Nellie was crying and sniffling into a tissue, while Jim listened to the sermon being given. Kathy was strangely missing – no one had heard from her in a few days. On the other side of Roxi and the girls were Lucy, Frank, and Mary Barrington. In the pew behind them, Ted and Jade tried to keep a straight face and not cry, but was failing, while Fred had to excuse himself to the back of the church to cry. The Stones sat with Jade, Jordan slightly confused, while Erin curled up in Jade's arms. Henry, who had fought with the nurses and his own parents, fought to be there for the funeral, if not just for himself but for Beary, who had not been allowed to leave the hospital due to his severe injuries. Méngméng, Fēnglì, and Rādhikā all stayed together towards the back, as none had known Allison enough to sit closer, letting friends and family stay near. AJ, too, stayed towards the back, hiding from his parents.

 _It is from the fare-well discourse just before the last supper.  
After this talk and meal Jesus is going to go to the  
garden of Gethsemane and you know what happened from there.  
The disciples also knew what was going to happen.  
This had filled them with great sadness as we  
experience it today as the death of Allison Barrington.  
There was a great doom and gloom in the atmosphere in the room._

Jade rocked Erin to her chest, trying to stop the tears from falling as she thought about her lost friend. When she had first met the Barrington, she had not been pleased with their situation with Beary. She had read and watched news stories about human/bear adoptions, and the majority of them failed spectacularly. Abuse, starvation, and human parents having no idea that a bear cub was very similar to a human's infant. Some human families treated their adopted bear cub like a toy or a pet. Bears weren't allowed to adopt human children, so why were humans allowed to adopt bear cubs? Jade hadn't known back then, so when she met the Barringtons, she was furious and wanted to Beary away from them.

Hell, even on Beary's tenth birthday, at the first birthday party he'd ever had, no one but Jewel had shown up. Jade knew he had invited the entire class, as she had helped him make the invitations. He'd spoken of the party for weeks, how it would be at a roller derby and how he'd been practicing extra hard to be able to show everyone how good he was.

When the day finally came... Jade had been sitting in the party room, watching as Beary's ears drooped lower and lower, until they blended in with his fur. Even Jewel hadn't been able to pull him out of his depression. Jade felt anger, but she didn't explode until after one of the workers brought in a series of notes from other parents who had at least had the decency to explain why their child wasn't there. Jade had never felt more hatred or disgusted than to learn that the reason they weren't there was because the parents thought Beary was too different; that they didn't support such mixed families. That Beary didn't know if he were a human or a bear, and that they didn't want their child associating with him.

While the notes had been read off, Allison and Norbert had sent a grumpy Dexter, Beary, and Jewel out to skate in the empty rink, as the entire small building had been rented for the party – a small fortune. Jade was fairly certain that his tenth birthday was when Beary began to change, but she wasn't able to confirm, as she'd left on a trip to San Francisco for a few months with the Stones [including Jewel] the next week, right after school let out. The Barringtons were supposed to go, but something to do with Allison's bakery came up – a couple workers quit – and they weren't able to attend the trip.

Thankfully, unlike those parents, she had taken the time to get to know them and discovered that they were good people who knew what they were doing. They treated Beary like a real member of the family and not a pet. They were good people that welcomed Jade as a friend, helping her get settled into Shelbyville when she moved away from her Nashville apartment to her almost permanent home. It would have stayed her permanent home if she hadn't met Ted, and that wouldn't have happened without Beary or the Barringtons. They had shaped her life unintentionally, and now that her friends were gone, she felt hopeless, knowing it was her fault. Knowing she'd never make it up, she vowed to help take care of Dex and Roxi until they could stand on their own feet.

 _Jesus wanted to change that atmosphere.  
So Jesus says, "Come on cheer up! Death is not annihilation.  
It is only the unwise who think like that.  
I am only going away for a better place.  
I am only going to our true home in heaven.  
You may live here for 50, 60 70 or even 100 years,  
or you may be taken long before your time. _

Ted felt ridiculous in his wheelchair, where he sat by Jade. He didn't cry – hadn't cried in a long time – but he try his best to participate in the goings on in the funeral. He hated funerals. Always had. They all brought back the memory of Zeke and how he had failed. Being here was hard, but he had to help represent those who weren't able to make it. He had to stand up for Zeb, Tennessee, and Trixie. Even Big Al was here, along with Faye, but they were in the back with Isabel.

Ted's arms were aching, his pain medication already fading, and wanted to leave, but he forced himself to remain silent and strong. He was Ted Bedderhead, after all, and Ted Bedderhead did not admit to pain – at least not in public.

 _But then you have to go; go to your true homeland.  
You have to go to your true home.  
If I am going there before you,  
it is only to prepare you a place.  
You are going to come there  
to be with me where I am."_

Tasha's thoughts were full of memories, both happy and sad. Like Jade, she had been most surprised to meet the Barringtons as Beary's parents, but she had accepted them far sooner than Jade had. She had been pleasantly surprised, but Allison Barrington had been so kind and understanding, explaining the situation to her, while Norbert made sure Dex behaved. Over the next few months and years, she and Allison had become firm friends, trading baking secrets, and whenever Dex or Beary were non-severely injured, she'd treat them right in the home for free or for a plate of delicious treats.

James was solemn as focused on the sermon. Many of his human friends were Christian/Catholic, so he almost understood how things were being done. He hadn't been as close to the Barringtons as his wife, but he and Norbert had shared a few beers from time to time when both families went on a fishing trip together for a weekend, camping out under the stars. It was that trip that Beary and Jewel both learned how to swim properly like bears. It was the first of many trips for the two families, and now they would never have them again, though they had made plans for a skiing trip that winter. They might still be able to go, if Dex and Roxi were up to it. It would be just the distraction the duo could use. He would talk to Tasha about it when the time was right.

 _Friends, these are the same truths that are  
revealed to us today as we are gathered  
here to bid fare-well to our beloved Allison Barrington.  
1\. Do not let your hearts be troubled unnecessarily with doubt and fear  
2\. Trust in God more in these situations.  
3\. Allison's going away is not an end of her. It's the beginning of her new innings in her life. She has gone to her true home._

Henry's heart was heavy and his ears flat. Like Ted, he was in a wheelchair, but with a broken leg that had been missed before the x-rays. His arm was in a sling and his shoulder immobilized to prevent further injury. At least his headaches were gone, though the rest of him ached – his heart most of all, though he wasn't sure if that was just from grief or something else. He had felt rather weak lately. Probably just recovering.

He was also concerned with how Beary had responded to the news of his adoptive mother's death. The teenager had seemed extremely distant and very un-talkative. Did he remember the crash? His mother being murdered before him? Henry didn't know, nor was he sure he wanted to.

Henry wasn't sure what he was going to do with Beary now. Keep him at the Hall, yes, but he would need to find him a proper psychiatrist now more than ever. He should have done so sooner, but had gotten so distracted... And then the news now that Social Services were looking in on his boy? Henry didn't want to lose him again! His father wanted to take Beary away, just like he'd taken Erik. Henry feared what would happen if he did – his father was not kind to children, and had no qualms about hitting them if he believed they were out of line. After everything Beary had been through, that was the last thing Henry wanted for him. He wanted Beary home with him, though he had a feeling he'd have to fight his own father for custody.

But as for the loss of Allison, why? Why did she of all people have to die? Beary had a second mother, and now that was taken from him, too. Allison had finally gotten the daughter she'd always wanted, and now she wouldn't be able to raise her. She was so eager to see Beary grow into a fine young bear, and now she'd miss it. She wouldn't even see Dex graduate. All because of a senseless act of road rage.

He took a deep breath, feeling rather tired. Why did his chest hurt so much?

 _I don't know whether you have seen him,  
but I often see a man on Lewisham High Street who  
goes around saying to people, there are no  
hospitals in heaven, there are no doctors in heaven,  
there are no nurses in heaven and there are no ambulances in heaven.  
What he meant to say was, there is no  
more suffering and there is no more pain. _

Méngméng watched as the humans rose up and received what they called "The Body of Christ", leaving her very confused on the subject – where they cannibals? Why would they eat the body of another human if they were not? Maybe she should look into studying this confounding religion. She did know a little about it, but this ceremony she did not understand. Why would they eat the body of a dead man at a funeral? Drink his blood? Or, at least, drink wine and pretend it is blood? Some odd ceremony, that was for sure.

Fēnglì sat beside her, though he wasn't as confused. In his learnings, he had studied many worldly religions, and Christianity and Catholicism were two of them. He understood them better than his mother did, though he was sure that was because she had fallen into such a deep pit of depression that she had almost denounced any sort otherworldly beings guiding her destiny. That she believed but didn't believe, if that made any sense. Quietly, he tried explaining the symbolism of everything, though he was sure he'd gotten a few things wrong, considering the horrified expression on her face.

Rādhikā shook her head and nudged her fiancé. "Fēnglì, we will explain better later. Shh." Like him, she knew much about other religions and cultures, and she knew from the stories he told that his mother had been very sheltered by her adoptive father and fed only selective things, and as such was still learning. She eyed the silver she-bear, noticing that lately she'd been resting her paws on her belly, which did look slightly distended. Had she been eating a lot more? Well, yeah, lately she had been, but not super fattening things. Her scent had changed, too. That scent change was familiar, as Rādhikā had many brothers and sisters. Wait, was she... No, it couldn't be, could it? ' _Oh, Méngméng... No wonder you've been so distant..._ ' she thought unhappily. She'd have to talk to her about it.

 _That is heaven.  
And it is to this place of rest  
and happiness Allison is gone.  
Let us assist her now through our prayers,  
so that Christ can make up for  
what is lacking in Allison's life._

The final prayers in the church were said, the priest did the concluding rites, and the casket was guided back down the aisle to the main entrance, with the surviving relatives following quietly.

The car parade to the cemetery was somber and quiet, Dex's eyes were on the road as he drove. Not even Roxi turned on the radio to amuse herself. Sitting in the back seat was AJ with the girls in their car seats.

"Hey, uh, Dex? I know That this is probably a bad time, but... Do you really think my parents are going to accept me back?" AJ questioned softly.

Roxi groaned and Dex's grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles turning white.

"Really, AJ? You have to ask that _now_?" Dex growled, frustrated and angry.

"Man, if I asked that in five days you'd still be pissed off. You're always going to be angry that others have parents and you no longer do. You had a good life with yours – I'm trying to repair my relationship with mine before it's too late. I'm asking you for your help, since I'm going to be seeing them right after the burial."

Dex sighed softly and loosened his grip on the wheel. "I know, AJ, I know... I'm just..."

"Tense? I know, Dex, and maybe it was stupid to bring this up."

"It was stupid, but also important. All you can do is talk to them. Be patient and don't lose your cool. I can't tell you the amount of times I've regretted how I acted when I was younger. I could have had a happy family, but instead I let jealousy reign supreme, and now I have very few joyful memories. I was a flippin' screwup who didn't know what I had, and now it's gone forever. Don't throw this away, AJ. Promise me." Dex eyed him in the rearview mirror.

"I promise, bro. I want to get my life back on track. Might even join the military, but first I'm going to finish high school like you guys."

"Yeah, but AJ, you're over two months behind. You may end up taking summer school to catch up," Roxi put in.

"Then I will. I don't want to go back being on the streets, man. I've seen a gang war – you and I both have – and it's not for me."

Dex reached up and rubbed his aching eye and nodded. "I know what you mean. Don't want to get involved again. That sucked."

Roxi's eyes narrowed. "Any of them come knocking at our place, Dexter, and I'll smack you."

"I'm well aware, Rox." Dex returned his focus to the street and turned into the cemetery. "Hopefully no one will – I highly doubt they would." He followed the procession of cars to where the burial would take place, feeling himself starting to choke up once more as he parked on the side of the road. "Let's... Let's go."

Upon reaching the green tent set up beside the empty hole where the casket would go, Dex, Roxi, the girls, and Dex's maternal grandparents sat down on the first row, with others filling in behind them.

The eulogy was given by Allison's best friend, Margaret Thatcher, who had helped out at the bakery when it was first getting started. Allison and Margaret had grown up together, starting as next door neighbors. She spoke of their childhood, how Allison always strived to be the best she could be, how she had more compassion than several others combined. How she had fought to keep Beary when he was first found, stating that they had already bonded as a mother and child, how she was as fierce as a Mama Bear when it came to protecting him. She told of how proud she had been of her two sons and what they were accomplishing.

She told of why the Barringtons had tried for one more baby, and how they had strived to get pregnant again, even taking fertility drugs in an effort. How they wanted to have the chance to start over again after losing both their sons to a wicked creature. How proud Allison had been to have delivered a girl at last. Then came the sad part of the eulogy where she stated how horrible it was that the daughter Allison always wanted would grow up without her.

Margaret turned towards Dex with a teary smile, stating how proud she knew Allison was of the man her son was becoming, and how he was going to keep Kristina in the family and raise her right.

Dex barely managed to retain control as he hugged his baby sister to his chest.

With the eulogy ended, the priest began to pray over the casket and do more ceremonial things that Dex didn't care to watch. He only had eyes for his little sister, smiling at her red hair. She was so beautiful and innocent, and yet had gone through so much already. He silently promised her that he would raise her right and do what he could for her. That tomorrow he would go to the interview at his father's boat place to become a salesman. He would go back to school and catch up what he'd missed. That he would graduate in the spring and go to college in the fall. That she would have a wonderful life.

 _Amen_

The service ended. A few family members took roses from the casket bouquet. Dex waited until everyone else had left – AJ leaving with his parents after a tearful reunion, and Roxi going to the car with the two girls – Dex stood alone before it. He found the last rose available, a not-yet-bloomed thing that was very small, and picked it out, bringing it to his nose to smell.

He remembered how much his mother loved her rose garden, tending to it carefully whenever she wasn't at the bakery. She always picked the biggest ones to bring in the house or give away, but left the smaller ones in the bushes. When he had asked her about it one time, she had told him that the smaller ones were the most underestimated, and many of them were far more beautiful than the bigger ones. Dex had never understood it, thinking a rose was just a rose.

Now looking at the one he had picked, he smiled. This rose had little white nubs on the end of the stem, something he didn't see very often in such bouquets. When he got home, he was going to grow out the roots and plant his new rosebush.

"Goodbye, Mom. I love you, and I'll make you proud." Dex walked away from the casket, holding the rose from the bouquet in his hand.

 _.~*The Country Bears*~._

Méngméng sat by her mate's bedside, reading a book as she waited for him to wake. She'd had a lot to think about over the past few hours, what with the funeral and all. Fēnglì and Rādhikā had stopped in for a few minutes, but had to get back to where they were staying – with her in Pendleton – to start packing for their flight.

Hearing the shifting of covers, she closed her book and looked over. "Alec? You awake yet, honey?"

"Yeah... unfortunately," he muttered, feeling a throbbing throughout his body. Over the past few days, he'd been getting more and more feeling within his body, from his head to his toes, much to his relief.

"Unfortunately? You still in pain? At least you can feel it now, honey." She squeezed his paw, smiling when he squeezed back.

"Somehow, ah wish ah couldn't," he groaned, flinching when he shifted slightly on the bed. He was stiff and sore, but tired of laying still.

Her ears lowered. "I've been praying that this day would come, Alec... It's important that you're going to be able to walk again, even if you have to deal with the pain."

"That kin be sae, bit richt noo it's a real pain in th' hurdies," he responded, the Scottish accident making his words sometimes hard to understand. "Wha kens if ah wull waalk again. Getting th' feeling back is yin thing; proper movement is anither." He stopped moving and sighed, laying still on the bed.

"Yeah... you're right. Don't push yourself, but don't take this too lightly, either. I... I want you to get better." She wrapped her arms around herself, almost wanting to tell him the truth as to why she wanted him to get better so bad. She didn't want to do this all alone again.

"Wi' howfur i'm bein' taken care o', ah wull git better, baobei, don't worry. If ah dae git some movement back, that wid be somet'in'. Kin tak' a lot o', uh, physio? Ah guess that's whit it's called. Aye, it'll tak' a lang time, bit it'll be something, richt?" He wiggled his nose just a little at her, hoping to make her smile.

She smiled weakly and nodded. "The thing is, Alec... You know... You know I'm going to be in China in a few months for years. The... The coronation is in June, and..." Tears gathered in her eyes as she knew she would be leaving him and not see him for a long time. "You... You were supposed to come with me... It's not going to happen now."

His ears flattened, and he wanted to squeeze her paw, but she had pulled away. "I know, sweetheart," he responded softly.

"And not even Fengli can stay here with you, since he's going to be helping me..." She frowned thoughtfully. Maybe she could leave the baby - provided she didn't miscarry [which seemed more unlikely every day] - with him? As silly as the thought was, it made her smile a little.

"Let's nae think aboot it noo, baobei. Please. Tis a few months awa' yit, 'n' ah dinnae waant us tae be moping aroond th' entire time."

She nodded, still crying. Suddenly, she put a paw over her mouth and got up, rushing for the bathroom just in time to vomit into a toilet.

Zeb cried out for her, not sure what was happening. Was she sick?! How long had she been sick? Why hadn't anyone told him? She needed to be in bed sleeping, not here visiting him!

When she came back into the main room, she gave him a sheepish look. "Sorry."

"If ye'r peely-wally, yi''ll need tae gang hame 'n' rest, Méngméng! Ye'r aff tae mak' yersel' worse if ye stay!"

She shook her head and sat down beside him, lowering her gaze. "I'm not sick – not in the way you're thinking," she murmured.

He blinked. "Bit ye threw up. Ah cuid hear ye."

"Yes, I threw up, but... but not because I have the flu, Alec. Nor is it a stomach bug. If it's a sickness, it's going to last for another three months."

He blinked. Three months? What was she talking... about...? Realization dawned on him. Was it true? "Méngméng, are ye..."

She nodded. "I'm... I'm pregnant, Alec..." She closed her eyes, not sure of what his reaction would be. Would he be delighted? Would he be angry? Worried? Or satisfied that she was providing a future for his clan? If she miscarried after telling him, he'd be so disappointed!

Hearing a sobbing sound, she opened her eyes and looked at him in surprise and confusion. He was crying? Why? "Alec?"

Zeb couldn't respond. He was shocked, awed, and so, so happy! Finally, he had done something right! His clan would be all right after all! They wouldn't have to rely on Fēnglì at all! A baby. A new baby in their little family! Was it one? Two? He wanted to know, but he was too choked up to ask. The Seillean Clan was slowly bouncing back.

 _.~*The Country Bears*~._

Cantios glanced at Jade as she wheeled him into Jewel's room. "Thank you, Lady Jae. I can take it from here. Please, park me beside her bed."

Jade rolled her eyes at the utter politeness. "When is Beary coming back?"

"When an old _acquaintance_ returns," he responded simply, not letting on what he knew.

"What the hell are you on about now? Psycho." She put him in next to Jewel, locked the brakes, and moved to leave. "If you need me, I'll be out in the hallway."

"Thank you, my lady. I will let you know if I need anything." Cantios watched her leave before turning his attention to the bedridden golden cub. "Concordia... It has been many years since we last met, and yet you are still as beautiful as the day we first ran into each other on _Ursaea_. Tough as nails, a decent fighter, and a loving friend. The war changed us both, separating us, yet here we are, together again. I just hope it stays that way. I know this body is going to live, but if it has to live without you, Concordia, it won't be worth it. You're the love of my life."

He squeezed her paw. "And, Jewel, this is for you... If you die, Beary will never survive the heartbreak. He will turn away from all others and become recluse, lost in his own misery. He will deny Erik, and lose his passion for many things. Someday, maybe, he might pull out of it, but it is very unlikely. I have seen the kind of heartbreak that does this, and it never ends well, especially for one who has been tested so much in the past few years. He will most likely commit suicide.

"I fear for this body. He and you, Jewel, are tied together by soul and your love for one another. When one of you suffers physically, the other feels it mentally. If one of you were to die, the other would not be far behind. It's a vicious thing, but crazy love will do that to you. I almost wish that you and Beary had not been chosen to be the mortal bodies of Concordia and my reincarnations. The only reason Beary was chosen was because his birth mother's family are not normal bears. You were chosen because you are the physical embodiment of what Concordia used to look like. At least, I believe that's what it's about. It's not like I can go ask anyone." He shrugged and winced, regretting the action.

"This probably sounds like one of your mortal soap operas – one of the only things I get to watch on the TVs around here. I could watch the children shows, but I'm not a big fan of them. Sometimes I go into the dayroom, as they call it, and watch a movie with a group of youngsters, but I always feel... so lonely. Perhaps it's Beary stirring within me, starting to wake. I hope he does soon. Should be very soon, if my calculations are correct."

He frowned and looked at her still face, her head still bandaged, no longer with a tube for draining fluid. Slowly, he forced himself to his feet that he could barely feel, and leaned forward, resting his lips on hers. He knew his kiss had no magical properties, and that she wouldn't wake from such a thing, but he didn't care. He just wanted to kiss her.

Lowering himself back down, he bit back a cry at the pain of the movement, knowing full well he shouldn't have done that. However, it was time for him to go back to his room. He called for Jade and spared one last look at his beloved before being pushed out of her room.

 _.~*The Country Bears*~._

Dex and Roxi entered the hospital room with almost cheerful expressions from trying too hard to not let their leftover funeral sorrow show through. They carried Tempest and Kristina's carriers into the room, set them on the floor, before picking the girls up out of them, bringing them close to the bedridden adult.

Roadie smiled brighter than he had in days upon seeing the little ones. "Kristina and Tempest, oh, don't you both look so pretty in your dresses." He was sitting up, and accepted Tempest into his good arm, his other still broken. "Hi, there, sweetheart. You're so beautiful, with your curly black hair." He wanted to kiss her forehead, but he wasn't allowed to take off the neck brace for another week.

Tempest grinned and cooed. "Donk!"

Roadie blinked. "Donk?"

"She's a fan of donkeys, so she calls things she likes 'donk'," Roxi explained with a laugh. She reached back into the car seat and pulled out the little stuffed donkey, giving it to her daughter, to clutched it happily.

Dex smiled, watching them. Three generations in one room. He looked down at Kristina, wanting that for her. Wanting her to know her grandparents – provided they didn't start with their hateful views or racism. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed a couple pamphlets barely hidden from view. Studying them, he realized they were talking about hospice care, senior living, and a nursing home. Poor Roadie! He didn't deserve to have to go to such places simply because he was paralyzed!

Thinking, he realized that at the house, they had more room than they needed, and the basement was fully finished, with heating and cooling. His family had used it for various needs, such as an exercise room, another family room, and a home theater. At least, the home theater was in their plans.

They could fix things up further down there, making the counters more down to Roadie's level, and make a custom bathroom safe for him to use on his own. Heck, they could get one of those new countertop stoves! It would take some money, but it'd be better for him to be with family instead of alone, waiting for a visit. He could have his independence back!

He was already coming up with ideas on how to get the money, and most of them turned towards the Taylors. Perhaps plead to Henry, who would talk with his parents about it? He'd probably agree, since Roadie was an old friend in need. Ask Jade, too. Would she help, though? He certainly hoped so. He wanted to give Roadie a real home to live in; he was, after all, the last parent they both had.

"Dex? Dex, Dad's talking to you," Roxi spoke up, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh. Sorry. What is it?" Dex looked over at Roadie.

"Is it all right if I hold Kristina?"

Dex smiled. "She is, in a sense, your daughter-in-law, so I suppose it's all right." He carefully handed his sister over to his father-in-law, making sure she was properly supported.

"Hello there, little one," Roadie smiled. "You're as beautiful as your mother. I'm so sorry that you won't have memories of her like we do. But we will all tell you stories about that wonderful woman and your amazing father, both who had very huge hearts filled with love for all they came in contact with. They would not turn away a stranger or a hopeless being. Volunteered at the soup kitchen every weekend when they weren't busy, and on holidays before their own dinners. You will know them through their actions and from the stories you hear. I promise, sweetheart."

Dex wiped his eyes on his sleeve. He pulled Roxi away, letting Roadie talk to the little redhead. "Rox, I've made a decision, if you're down for it," he whispered. "We can have Roadie come live with us. Furnish the basement to fit his needs. Hell, put in a little elevator, too! He'll have his own space, and his independence back, Rox."

She thought about it. "What about the money?"

"We'll ask his friends and family. The Bears. Surely they aren't stingy."

Roxi nodded and smiled, giving him a kiss on the lips. "I love you. Let's bring my father home."

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 **Please review! It doesn't take long!**


	9. Chapter Eight

**Hello again! Sorry for the extremely long delay. "A Holiday to Remember" took longer than expected to finish [whoops], and then I took time to get many chapters ready for reading and reviewing of Book IV! Rejoice, for I have returned! We are starting the "restart" of Book IV, basically, in which we have traveled a few months ahead of where we ended the previous chapter, and now start in January 2006. The plot starts up this chapter, and we go off!**

* * *

 **.~*Chapter Eight*~.**

 _The year is 1975, April 15_ _th_ _. It was a beautiful day here in Nashville, so before my show I decided to take a walk on the outskirts of town. I had heard that a tornado, just hours ago, had swept through a little town about an hour away from here. Forgive me, but the name escapes me. Pangerton? It's a very small town and not very popular. More like a main street and farms._

 _While I was out walking, I came across a peculiar sight – a little demon child covered in mud, shaking by a bush. Why do I call her a demon child, you might ask, my dear journal? Well, because of her two little horns and her furry, barbed tail. Her legs were oddly shaped as well. She was the oddest bear I have ever seen, and I have seen some odd bears in my time at the circus._

 _The poor thing was all alone, probably cast out for her deformities. I call them deformities because I do not believe they are supernatural in nature. I have seen many a bear and human cast away for being different. I offered her food, which she took with caution, and then I asked for her name._

 _"Tris," she told me, but spoke no further._

 _I do not believe she is from the tornado, as she is very far from the little town, so I can only assume she was abandoned. Poor thing._

 _When I saw that she was nursing a wound of four claw marks that started from her right arm to her left hip, I knew I had to take her with me to our healers. No hospital would accept such a strange creature, but a healer at the circus would ask no questions – we're all freaks here. I, myself, have a strange condition on my flesh in which I have scales. Strange, no? It's like I'm part snake._

 _I took Tris home with me – she was oddly trusting – and got her seen to. She spoke of a big wind to the healer, my good friend Atlas, taking her away from her mother, but otherwise was confused and unhappy. I'm not sure what to do. Should I try to find her family? Or is it too late?_

 _She was taken by the tornado... ripped from her mother's arms. No wonder she had those cuts. The poor thing. But if I take her back, would she have a full life? I don't think so. She'd be hidden from the outside world._

 _Tris is currently curled up on my bed while I write in this journal, sleeping like a cat. I want to keep her. I think I shall._

 _.~*Tainted Melodies*~._

 _January 9_ _th_ _, 2006_

Roadie looked in astonishment as he was loaded onto a staircase wheelchair ride and sent into a dark basement, where his daughter and son-in-law waited for him. As soon as the "ride" finished, Dex flicked on the lights, revealing Roadie's new home.

All the counters were about 30" in height, and places, such as under the sink, were hallowed out. The counters had a ledge so he could move his wheelchair under them a bit. There were no ground-level drawers, the bottom ones being at least six inches off the ground. Instead of high counters, there were shelves against the wall on top of the counters. His oven was 31" off the floor, and he had a counter-top ceramic stove.

That was just one wall. The next wall had an entertainment center, and in the corner was a wheelchair-accessible full drum set. He had a low bed, perfect for getting in and out, and beyond it was a bathroom made just for him with a seated tub, among other things.

It was the perfect little home, just for him.

"You... You two did this? For me?" Roadie asked, shocked. He had been told that they wanted to show him some improvements at the house, but never mentioned that it was all for him!

"Yep! We want you to come live with us! And if you get bored of staying down here, you can come sit in the rest of the house with us!" Roxi spoke up, proud that they had everything done. "Henry and the others helped pay for things, too. I hope everything will work out for you!"

Dex nodded. "Since the house was paid off by Mom and Dad, we don't have to worry about mortgage, especially when the others helped us out with this. Just gotta do taxes, utilities, and all that jazz."

"So I should find a job to help out with that, then. I don't want to be completely dependent," Roadie responded.

"We'll figure that out, Dad," Roxi spoke up. "You could maybe do drum lessons, or online support, or anything you wanted! Or you could be a mechanic still! The only limit is your mind."

Dex nodded. "Just sitting around, wallowing, doesn't do anything for anybody. I've gotten that job as a boat salesman, and Roxi's a mechanic now, so we're both working hard and keeping busy, while also doing our schoolwork and watching the kids."

"Yeah, they're looking for another mechanic at our sister shop," Roxi went on. "I told them about you. You know your stuff, Dad, and you can help out others there."

Roadie frowned a moment. "But... you are all doing all of this for me, and... and you're still helping me. Why?"

"Because you're family. Ohana, as Lilo would say."

Roadie blinked.

Dex grinned. " _Lilo and Stitch_. Ohana means Family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten."

Roadie grinned. "Oh, I see. You two are something special... But you have school you need to be doing! What about Tempest and Kristina?"

Dex thought about his sister and daughter, both who were sleeping upstairs in their room. "You can babysit, if you want, or we can take them to the high school nursery. It's up to you."

"You're... trusting them with me?"

"Of course we are! Daddy, they love you," Roxi laughed, kneeling and giving him a hug. "I promise. Now then, do you want us to leave so you can get settled?"

"It's a lot to take in..."

"And you can come up or we can come down, and have dinner every night!"

Roadie smiled and nodded. "I'd like that." He looked around and they eventually left after showing him how to work things, and just sitting there alone in his new home, he started to cry.

 _.~*Tragic Melodies*~._

Zeb carefully lifted the dumbbell, trying to rebuild his strength. This week's weight was 20lbs. He was lifting two ten-pounders, one in each paw, and had done five lifts so far. After he did fifteen more, he would be moving on to doing leg lifts, something he was struggling a little with.

Most days he didn't like what he was doing, filled with pain, but on days when his beloved could come with him, he found the pain more manageable. On those days, when he was feeling down, she let him put a paw on her belly, feeling their cub moving around inside the womb. Each time he felt a kick, he found himself growing stronger and filling with pride.

He was recovering from his injuries, a little more slowly than the others, but he was recovering nonetheless. Good ol' bear bones. Heavy duty and quick healing. Well, for the most part. He still had to take it easy, and wasn't allowed to do much work until he was fully healed. At least during that time, he was able to read up more on his clan, and how to be a proper chief. He'd rather be playing his fiddle, though.

His Aunt and Uncle had been able to visit shortly after the accident, and they had also taught him what they knew along with brought him some words of advice from other clan chiefs – at least the ones who accepted him. He wasn't very popular in Scotland because the clan, in most eyes, didn't exist any longer. Zeb was planning on changing that at some point. He wanted to live in Scotland again, but he also had his life here. He'd have to talk to Méngméng about it.

"You're getting a lot better," Méngméng purred, watching him lift the weights. "Better control, too." She sat in a chair, looking rather amused. "So handsome and sexy. If I wasn't already pregnant, I'd jump your bones."

Zeb got so flustered he almost dropped the weights.

"Easy there," the instructor laughed, shaking his head. "Ma'am, I'd have you please not distract my patient lest I have to send you out of here."

Méngméng laughed and nodded. "I apologize, Doctor Sampson."

Zeb glanced at her, grinning. "Don'tcha worry, babe. I'll be ready to hang out with you shortly. I just gotta defeat this stuff!" he responded, his Scottish accent diminishing slightly.

She beamed. "Don't rush yourself or you'll get worse, love," she warned. "This cub will need its daddy."

He purred a bit and gave a small nod. He slowed down a bit, but kept up his strong pace. He wanted to get out of there and hold her close, talking nonsense to their new, unborn child. Go visiting Beary, who was only still in the hospital because there was no one to take care of him other than Ted and Jade, who were supposed to be caring for him, yet failed to get him out of the hospital with Jade citing that he needed psyche evaluation. There was a custody battle going on for him, too, between his grandfather and Henry. Not to mention his loss of memory. Well, either loss of memory, or he had become a completely different person.

Zeb wasn't quite sure, but for some reason, Beary kept calling him "Aodin", and called Méngméng "Merliah". Not to mention what he called Ted and Jade: "Theo" and "Jae". He had a different name for everyone it felt like. Even his brother and sister-in-law were now "D'niren" and "Jyn", while Fred, Trixie, and Tennessee, were "Kyrell", "Lilith", and "Niko".

Zeb found it rather amusing, really, but also disconcerting. What if the real Beary never came back? What if his coping method became permanent? Would they lose their Beary forever?

Maybe if Jewel woke up, Beary would return to normal! Zeb raised his thoughts up in prayer yet again. It was all he could do; hope and prayer. Sometimes he felt foolish, but he did feel a bit relieved at times.

"Focus, Mr. Zoober," Dr. Sampson warned.

Zeb blinked and returned to the present. "Sorry. Spaced."

"Yeah, we can tell," Méngméng laughed. "Focus for now, Alec, and you can space later."

"Yeah, yeah." He sighed, grumbling.

Méngméng rubbed her belly, frowning. Something didn't feel right. She murmured a bit and got up. "I'll be right back, Alec. I must really be clogged up."

He glanced over at her, watching as she waddled away.

"Focus, Mr. Zoober," Dr. Sampson repeated.

"Right, right. Sorry, sorry." He laughed a bit and continued with the weights until he heard Méngméng scream.

 _.~*Tainted Melodies*~._

It had been a normal day. Sun was shining, winter birds were singing, and a gentle breeze blew across the plain. Everything was perfect for a nice January day... until Méngméng had given birth to a stillborn cub in the toilet by mistake. At least, everyone prayed it was stillborn, otherwise she had accidentally drowned a cub.

When Jade had heard about what had happened from a shell-shocked Zeb, she'd been heartbroken, feeling the own pain in her belly, as if her unborn cub was sharing with the horror and sadness. She still had three months to go in her pregnancy, and was feeling horrible about what Méngméng was going through. The cub they hadn't expected, but wanted so dearly was dead, possibly accidentally drowned by his own mother.

So, to get away from it all while the others found out, she disappeared from the very small group to go visit Beary/Cantios, against her better judgement, to see what kind of BS he'd spew today.

She hated to admit it, but she found some of the things he spoke of fascinating. How he told of the dragons and his part in accidentally creating the first six [a fire breather, water/ice manipulator, smoky breath, earthy, darkness, and light], four of which who laid eggs without a partner, leading to many new dragons, and so and so forth... and then how they were almost all wiped out in a great war, with the last set of eggs, apparently laid by Queen Jae and her mate, Theo, were hidden somewhere, waiting to hatch until the Queen had returned.

Jade found the story silly, but also amusing and mystical. It at least helped pass the time while Ted was with his parents in Memphis, talking about things she wasn't allowed to know.

"Maybe he'll tell me about the dragons again? The legendary gold one of light, too? And why does he keep saying that I and Theo raised him? Weirdo." She shook her head and kept walking, lost in thought, until she bumped into a larger white bear.

Jade looked up at the other bear. "Excuse me." She was clearly preoccupied with her thoughts.

Esmerelda blinked and shifted the carrier she held, trying to make it look like she was bringing a visitation animal. "Excuse me. Um... can you help me? I'm looking for Beary Taylor."

"Beary Taylor?" Jade frowned. As far as anybody should know outside the family, Beary was dead. "What are you looking for him for?"

"Just visiting. I bring little visitors to visit the children," she said quickly.

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Hm... you shouldn't be here. Not with animals. His condition's still critical." Okay, that was a bold-faced lie, as Beary was being released tomorrow to outpatient care with Ted and Jade taking on guardianship finally.

The white she-bear's ears lowered. "Is that so? Maybe I can cheer him up." The ears perked when a mewl came from the carrier, and an odd bark. She turned away and sniffed the air. Catching his scent, she began to hurry.

The black bear shook her head. "I can't let you in to see him. You're not family." She moved in front of her.

"Oh, but I am," she growled in response. "Closer than you."

"Is that so?"

She nodded. "I'm Jewel Taylor." She tried to pass through.

Jade's eyes narrowed and her lips curled into a snarl. "No, you're not. I know Jewel, and you are most certainly _not_ her. For one, she's pure golden black bear, whereas you are so very not."

The white bear's ears flattened and she began pushing past, using her polar bear strength against the much smaller bear, but also protecting the carrier.

"I'll have no choice but to call security!" Jade warned.

"You do that." She shoved past her into the room and went over to the bed. "Beary? Beary, kid... wake up..." she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him opening his eyes. "I brought you a gift." She opened the carrier and reached in.

Meanwhile, Jade had gone to the security desk, as she knew getting into a fight would be a bad idea. The guard waiting there ordered up a few others, that would be coming from different parts of the hospital.

The she-bear, meanwhile, went to the room to make sure the polar bear wasn't trying to strangle the kid. She knew she should go in there with him, but she was afraid of injury to her child. However, upon arriving halfway into the room, she froze, staring at the sight on the bed.

Laying in Beary's lap (he was sitting up) were two very young infants, about a few weeks old. One was an ashen brown, and the other mostly white, save for a few brown patches.

The tall bear looked at Jade sadly. She was tired of running. She looked back at Beary. "The white one is Rebekkah, and the ashen brown is Lyra Hymn. They're... ours. Please take care of them. I hope they will not be cast out, especially now that they've made the sight bond with you."

Beary stared down at the infants, running a gentle paw over their heads. His thoughts were slowly becoming clear.

Jade's eyes narrowed at the she-bear's words. That meant she was Esmeralda Belleo, Ted's ex! The one she had heard all the stories about. Needless to say, she was not happy about the situation, and she wished the guards would hurry up.

"What do you mean, 'sight bonded'? You shouldn't even be in here!" she growled, feeling her blood starting to boil, her pads heating up, and her fur starting to shift. "You need to take your cubs and get out of here, you child rapist!"

Beary glanced over at Jade, eyes flashing red. " _My_ cubs, you mean."

"I was already planning on leaving. I can't give them the life they need, but he can." Esmerelda glanced at her, surprised that the guards weren't here yet.

"He's just a cub himself! How do you expect him to do such a thing?!"

"A wealthy family he now has, from what I understand. And all of you. Are you going to take them away from him? Even though on their birth certificates it lists Jewel as the mother?" she hissed.

"Clearly nobody is that stupid or naive to believe that."

"He has polar bear blood in him already. It's entirely possible. So, you can either have it that these are the twins of his... rapist... or you can spin it that they are Jewel's." She left, walking past the guards who were on their way down the hallway and to the room, not realizing that the target had been her.

Jade huffed and growled. She looked at the guards that finally arrived. "Oh, fat lot of good you were! She just left!" She watched as they left, then looked over at Beary with a sigh. Her scales returned to fur, pads cooled, and she just simmered. She watched him interact with the cubs. "You want to keep them, don't you?"

He gestured for her to come closer. "Can you not see the crystals on their fur?" he asked softly. "They can't go anywhere else... Plus... they are rather cute." He looked up at her, a small smile on his face. His eyes were his normal hazel, and he didn't sound... like Cantios anymore.

Jade moved closer to inspect them, frowning. They did look rather cute. One had large fluffy paws, while the other's were smaller and delicate. She could see sparkles in their fur, and found herself wondering if that was why Esmeralda had dropped them off. How much did she know about Beary? Did she know about Cantios? "All cubs are cute," she responded, trying to save things and stay distant.

"Yes... but my cubs are adorable. And they sparkle," he teased. He paused his petting of their heads, then glanced up at her, a sheepish expression on his face. "Um... C-Cantios... h-has been filling me in, I guess. I've been watching, but... I just couldn't bring myself to... Um... I'm back?"

Jade looked the teen over and reached in and hugged him. "You're stubborn." She held him tightly, already noting the slight scent change among him, returning him back to Beary. Cantios was gone, but at the same time, he remained. How much had Cantios changed the teen?

"My parents were stubborn. My, uh, birth parents." His ears lowered a bit. "Mom and Dad are really gone..."

She nodded. "They are, but, hey! You still got me. It'll take more than a car crash to take me down." She gently stroked his head before releasing him.

He smiled a bit and nodded. "Yeah, it would, Ms. Dragon. I... I've had my time to cry and break down. You know, in here. And Cantios... He kept me company. He told me that I was loved and I still had family. That Mom and Dad are resting peacefully. That I saved my sister, niece, and son. And now... Now I have daughters." He looked back down at the cubs curiously. "Um... this one is Rebekkah Esmeralda, and she's got green eyes like me!" He held the big-pawed cub over to her. "And look at the big paws! They're so fluffy!"

Jade didn't take the cub. "Yes, I see them." She didn't want to get attached. She wanted them gone. For Beary to be a proper cub. She sat down in the chair she had been sitting in for so many weeks now.

A little hurt that she wouldn't hold the cub, Beary frowned and returned Rebekkah back to his lap. "But... this one..." His eyebrows furrowed. "She has blue eyes, but... they're... pale? Er, one's pale, and the other one's normal?" He brought her up closer, then looked at Jade uncertainly.

Jade peered at the cub. "Hm... Could be mixed matched or..." She ran a finger slowly in front of the cub's eyes, watching as one followed, but the other didn't. "I don't believe this cub had full sight... I'll arrange a doctor for her later."

"Oh..." He frowned unhappily, putting her back in his lap with her twin. "This one is... Lyra Hymn." He grinned. "That one's a pretty name! I like it. And Becca? Becky?"

"Becky."

He nodded in agreement. "But...look." He passed her the certificates and medical information. "She signed Jewel as the mother. Even copied her handwriting! How...? He frowned, brow furrowed, before laughing as the little ones curled up into a nest between his legs and began snoozing. "At least they're sleeping now."

"And out of that cage, yes. Damn bitch."

"They are out of the cage, though." He picked up and dumped the cage, then yelped as some clothes and toys fell out, along with his old gray jacket. "What? What's this doing in there?"

The she-bear frowned. "She really wanted to make sure you were the only parent they knew..."

He looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Scent bond, using the clothes that smelled like you. And keeping them in a cage until they could see you? Very clever."

"Oh." He frowned a moment, running his paws gently over their small heads. "She's had children before... a lot. Was even married once... but... She suffered from something debilitating. Something that made her crave... you know. And when she felt the happiest was when she was pregnant. Her marriage fell apart because she started having dark thoughts about her first child, so she left before she could hurt her." He frowned. "She, uh, told me this one time when I was sketching her, uh... nude."

When she didn't respond, seeming lost in thought, he went on to a different subject. "Would you like to hold one of them?" He then blinked. "Wait, how am I going to explain this to the others?"

"I have no idea... and let them sleep for now."

"Okay. Do you think we should pass them off for Jewel's and mine? They'd be better accepted... I think. Though, Tennessee and Trixie might kill me. Or they'll love them... I don't know..." He sighed and continued stroking their heads. "They're so soft, though..."

Jade chewed her lip a clear sign she was nervously thinking.

Beary paid her no mind, knowing she needed to think. His own mind was reeling. His and Esmeralda's cubs. They had cubs. Two. Twins. Girls. He had more cubs with someone else than he had with Jewel. This was... horrible... yet, he couldn't give them up! He didn't want to! He was attached!

His fur shifted colors, just as much as it had with Cantios, and spikes grew out of his paws, not that he was noticing. He was in a panic, upset and confused.

Spotting this, Jade put her paw on his. "You're going to keep them. I know you well enough by now to know that. The family will just have to get over it."

"But I have... I have more cubs with someone else than I do with Jewel, Jade," he whispered.

"It's just a fact of life. But from what I understand from what Ted's told me... Every cub you've had with someone else spiritually belong to her, Beary. So, no, you don't have more cubs with anyone but her."

He looked over at her. "But what if they cast me out because of it? Once they know who the mother is, they'll freak! Especially Ted and Dad!"

"Ted must get his happy ass over it. He's gonna be a father himself."

Beary blinked, colorings returning to normal and crystal's disappearing. "Father? You're pregnant?"

"Yeah."

"From Ted?"

She blinked. "Uh, who else would it be?"

"Someone nicer?" He smiled a bit.

She snorted and shook her head. "That's terrible. After all those years of you and Jewel telling me I was gonna marry him, you say that?"

He giggled. "Uh-huh! Marry the nicer Bedderhead that'll fill you up with food!" He loved Ted, but he also liked to tease Jade about it. He felt like a kid again.

"Ted can cook, ya know. He's better at it than I am."

"Jade, EVERYONE is better at cooking than you are."

She scowled. "Hahaha, funny. Not."

"Pretty sure the twins would be better cooks than you, and they can't even crawl!" he teased.

"Alright, smartass!"

He grinned. "You love me."

"Only because I must," she teased.

"Oh, harsh. What about the twins? Could you come to love them, too?"

"Of course I could. I'm not cruel or cold."

He raised an eyebrow. "Well then... Hey, I heard Méngméng went into labor earlier or something. So, is it a boy or girl?" His ears perked. "I bet Zeb's so excited!"

Jade bit her lip.

"Jade? What's wrong? Don't you know the answer?"

"I... it... it didn't make it." She didn't have the heart to tell him what really transpired.

His ears flattened. "It didn't?" He looked down at his twins, then back at her. "Funny how today I get twins... and their cub dies." His voice was soft and melancholy. "Sorry, I'm making you sad," he murmured. His ears flicked, however, when her phone went off.

Sighing, Jade pulled it from her pocket. "Speak."

" _Jade! Jade, you're not going to believe it, but Méngméng went back into labor! She was pregnant with a litter! Not one!_ " Tasha spoke rapidly, excitement in her voice. " _The first one's already been born and it's a boy! Get over here! You might be able to make it for the other, as she's showing signs of one more at least!_ "

Jade blinked. "Oh. That's great news."

" _Well don't you sound thrilled. Méngméng wants you here, Jade._ "

"Yeah, I'm coming."

" _See you soon!_ " She hung up.

Beary glanced at Jade. "What's going on? Can I go with you? Please? Wherever you're going?"

"It's Méngméng. Apparently, she was pregnant with a litter. Idiot! Why didn't you get ultrasounds and stuff so we knew?!" she growled. Maybe if Méngméng had, she wouldn't have been as heartbroken earlier!

His eyes lit up. "Can I go? Please, please, please?!"

"I... I guess so. Means I get to push you around in a wheelchair."

He grinned, then looked at the cubs. "At least my wheelchair has a basket. Can you put a blanket and small pillow in it? Can't leave them here. We can cover them up, too."

He was getting excited. Nervous, but excited at the prospect of exploring the hospital again. So while Jade got him ready, he made sure the twins didn't need a diaper change - which they did and he and Jade took care of it - and then Jade warmed up a couple bottles of formula, and off they went!

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 **Thanks for reading! There may be an update Sunday, we'll see. But I'm planning on Sunday uploads as per usual. This one I just couldn't wait for. Haha!**

 **Thanks for reading and please leave a REVIEW. I rather like reviews because they make me happy and allow me to know that people are reading, and for someone who works hard on her craft for a very small fandom, it's nice to know that her stories are actually noticed! Thanks again for reading and see you next time! Bye!**


	10. Chapter Nine

**.~*Chapter Nine*~.**

He glanced around, spotting people he had gotten to know in the hospital, but didn't stop to talk to them. As they neared their destination, he began to wonder if he was doing the right thing. He knew that the twins could go nowhere else - not with their crystal-ly fur - but what would the others say? "Jade?"

"What's up?" Jade asked.

"I know they'll have to accept them, but... do you think they really will?" He frowned. "Do you think any of them will be able to see the crystals? At least they don't change colors, right?"

Jade frowned, looking thoughtful. While she hoped the twins would be accepted, she wasn't sure, given all that had happened their history. It was going to be a hard road, that's for sure. But what to do about it? She wasn't sure. She could use her authority to make them accept the twins, but that wouldn't be true acceptance at all. No, they'd have to come to terms with it on their own. She'd just... have to force it a little.

"I know that it's enough of a pain for me... No one knows what to do with me. At least you're, uh, dragonness is better hidden, huh? Unless you've set Ted on fire by breathing on him?"

Jade laughed. "No, that's not happened, thankfully."

"Good. Say, do any of them know that I wasn't... ya know, me?"

"I don't think so. A few had ideas that something was off, but no one came outright and said it." She sighed. It was painfully obvious that Beary hadn't been himself, as he had been addressing each person that visited him as someone else. She wasn't about to tell Beary that, though.

"Oh. Great." Beary wasn't sure what to think of that. How did they not notice? Did they simply not care? "So they thought I was just... broken." He sighed and shook his head. "Oh well. What can ya do?"

"Not broken, per say. They were concerned about your mental state. What happened in that crash... What happened to your parents was devastating to all of us. And you seemingly losing your memory and becoming someone else entirely was just as so." She paused outside the doors to the new ward and moved in front of him, kneeling down. "Kiddo, we were frightened that we had lost you, too. Our very heart. Our soul is injured, too, and she hasn't woken yet."

"Heart and soul?" Beary questioned before smiling a little. "Jewel and me?"

"Yup! You two are the heart and soul of our clan. You've brought us all together. Well, maybe not Zeb and Méngméng, as they knew each other prior to all of this, but as for the rest of us, you're the glue that holds us together."

"You guys are still together now, though... and managed to stay together when we were in Utah. You don't need us."

She put her paws on his shoulders. "We _do_ need you, Beary. You have no idea just how much. You are so greatly loved by all who meet you, with a few exceptions... And, you know? As much as I hate her, she did the right thing in giving you those twins. She knows that you'll love them no matter what, and that we will take them in."

His gaze lowered to his daughters, and he gently stroked their ears. "Yeah... Yeah, I will. They're a part of myself, and... and they can't go anywhere else."

"Right."

He shook his head. "We should get going."

She frowned, but nodded. "All right."

He looked on ahead as they entered the Maternity Ward. "Wow... barely anyone here..." He didn't see Trixie or Tennessee - unaware that they were still bedridden until the end of the month - or Ted - who was with his parents again in Memphis. He did see Fred, though, but not his father - also unaware that he was with his own parents.

And then there was Zeb, pacing slowly outside the door with his crutches - as he'd gotten a bit too energetic and confused and gotten kicked out of the delivery room. He had abandoned his wheelchair in favor of walking unhappily.

Jade blinked, looking at the two bears, and shook her head. "Well... At least he's exercising that way."

Zeb's ears perked when he heard them, but he stayed where he was, wanting back into the room.

Fred, however, wandered over and pulled Jade into a big hug, then went to pick Beary out of his wheelchair for a hug, only to get protested by the teenager, who was holding the basket steady. He frowned. "Did I do something wrong?"

Jade shook her head. "No, Fred, you didn't. He's just..."

Fred looked very confused, and he glanced at Jade, then down at the basket, giving it a small sniff. Wait... Was that...? He reached towards the blanket, but Beary smacked his paw away.

Jade frowned. "Be nice. I have to leave you here with them."

Beary looked at her. "Leave me?!" he squeaked.

"Yeah. Méngméng apparently wanted me in there with her. Not sure why, but..."

He whined a moment, but looked at Fred, lifting the blanket. "You... won't tell?"

"Why would I tell? Wait, what am I not supposed to tel-ooohhh..." Fred looked at the twins in the basket, surprised. "Did ya kidnap em?"

Jade laughed while Fred looked more confused.

"They... They're... mine and..." Beary wasn't sure how to answer who the mother was. Did he start the lie now and hoped it become reality? Or did he tell the truth and get them shunned? Obviously, Jewel hadn't been pregnant during the crash - if she had, she would have lost them. But if they learned they were Esmeralda's... What was he to do?

Sensing the dilemma, Jade came to his aid. "Just tell him the truth, kiddo. There's no point in hiding it. It'll come out sooner or later, and I'd rather have sooner." She put a paw on his head, ruffling his hair. "You also need a haircut."

Beary sighed, but nodded. "Mine and Esmeralda's... She, uh... just dropped them off. Made sure they only knew me, and..."

Fred's jaw dropped and he stared at him, and then at Jade.

The black bear made a face. "Just accept it for what it is, Fred. They are family." Whether we like it or not, she silently added.

"But... Esmeralda... she's not nice," he responded slowly.

"No. She's not."

"And he's... keeping them?"

Beary frowned and pet their heads. "They're mine... I can't give them up. They, uhm, sparkle."

Fred looked at them again, as if just now seeing what Beary had told him. "I can see this..."

"They are cute, special bundles of joy, Fred, and they will be treated as such," Jade stated, as if it wasn't a matter of discussion. She was, after all, still the Alpha Female.

He gulped and nodded. "They got names?"

Beary nodded and introduced his daughters, who were starting to wake. He suddenly covered them. "Jade? What if the next pair of eyes they meet, they attach to, too? Shouldn't it be... Jewel? But... she's still in a coma..." He whined, then thought. "Jade? Will... Will you take her role? I... I don't know if Jewel's gonna wake up..."

"Say what now?" Jade wasn't prepared for that question at all.

"Please? I want them to have a mother, and I don't know if Jewel will accept them when she wakes... Please, Jade? I can't do this alone. You know what it's like to be different, like them and me."

She sighed with a frown. Did Beary not realize that she still did not understand why she was so different? That she was not yet comfortable with this? Hell, even him shifting colors and those cubs' crystally fur freaked her out. "I, uh..." Looking into his hopeful eyes, she knew she had to give in. "Sure."

His ears perked and eyes glistened as he waited for her to come around to the front - Fred taking her place in the back. "Ya gotta pick em up. Sight and... and smell?" He wasn't sure if it was too much to ask.

Jade nodded, kneeling down in front of him. "You better hope I can get back up, mister." She laughed a bit.

He grinned and winked. "Fred'll help you out. Besides, you barely show, so stop whining." He pulled the blanket back slightly and watched as she picked up the white with brown patched cub, Becky... who sneezed on her face.

Scrunching up her nose, Jade grumbled a bit. "Mhm, yep... Beary is _definitely_ your father."

The hazel-eyed cub giggled and licked her nose happily, cooing and mewling, while her sister, Lyra, gave a little bark, wanting attention, too.

The black bear smiled a bit. "You'd think that the crystal would be coarse, but they're soft... It's more like they are natural fur," she marveled, gently petting Becky's face and ears.

He nodded and held up Lyra to her, carefully taking Becky back and setting her down in the basket.

Lyra was more snuggly than her sister, staring into Jade's eyes and smiling a little as she sniffed and nuzzled, pleased as punch to be with her.

Jade smiled. "Aww..."

"I think she likes you," he whispered. "That pale eye, though..."

Fred frowned. "Pale?" He looked at her. "Perhaps she's... blind in one eye? Wait, Jade! You're supposed to be going inside! Shoo, shoo! I got them."

"Oh, shoot! That's right!" Jade passed the cub to Fred. "Here, take care of her. I'll be back."

The teenager laughed and watched her go before settling in with Fred, who brought him a bit closer to where he'd been sitting, and together they watched as Zeb paced.

 _.~*~._

Jade, once entering the room in a gown and a cloth face mask, was led over to Méngméng by a nurse. She had barely gotten into the room as the nurse had been quite cross she was there until Tasha yelled at her, stating that she was supposed to be there.

"They made Alec leave! B-But you're more level headed and... Don't go... don't leave me..." the she-panda whined, gripping her friend's paw tightly. She was very stressed, both from this new, unexpected labor and from losing her first baby earlier.

Jade rubbed her paw. "I'm not going to leave. Don't you worry."

Méngméng looked at her thankfully, but the expression was taken away when she began to push again. Moments later, there was a new baby cry, and her body began relaxing. There would be no more cubs.

Tasha looked over at Jade, smiling as she took care of the newborn, cleaning it up. "Made it in the nick of time, eh?"

"I'm good like that," Jade laughed.

Méngméng huffed and puffed, trying to catch her breath, ears lifted at the sound of the cries.

Tasha looked over at her and smiled. "It's a girl."

Jade smiled; at least somebody was finally happy.

"A girl...?" Méngméng was both happy and worried. Would Zeb be satisfied with a girl that could not carry on the Seillean stripes? What if he was upset or angry?!

The black bear scowled, spotting the look on her friend's face. "Get that stupid look off your face and be happy, you foolish girl."

Méngméng glanced up at her. Of course Jade wouldn't understand. She had nothing of the sort to worry about. "They are all right?" she asked, looking back to Tasha.

The doctor nodded. "Let us do our initial checks, but they appear to be healthy and strong," she responded with a smile.

Méngméng looked at Jade. "They're okay...?"

Jade nodded. "You've gotten a boy and a girl. Twins."

"Should have been triplets," she murmured, ears folding back.

"That was not your fault, Mysty. It was an accident."

"An accident I should have prevented!"

"From what I understand, the baby was very small anyway. A runt. Underdeveloped and wasn't going to survive anyway."

"How can you know that for sure?"

"Because..."

Méngméng scowled. "You don't know as much as you think you do."

"Oh, shut up and get that stupid look off your face. You have two healthy cubs. Be happy for them."

"Stupid look?" She frowned, then looked over at where her cubs were being examined, and then back at Jade. "What stupid look?" Did Jade know her worries?

Jade rolled her eyes. "That I'm-not-good-enough look you get when you're worried."

"Oh, so you aren't psychic... No, I was worried for another reason, actually..."

"Let me guess – that the cubs aren't good enough? This is America, not China!"

"The boy is, but... the girl can't carry on the stripes gene... And... and the clan is famous for their stripes..." she whispered.

"Who cares? Zoober's not an elitist dumbass! He's going to love them no matter what."

"Yes, but he has a duty to..." She frowned, still worried.

"No, he doesn't? He's not royal."

"Clan chief, Jade. Practically royal over there. Trying to save his clan."

"And yet, he's here in America, and he has been American for how long?"

"You realize that at some point he wants to go back..." She frowned. Could he start his new clan here in America?

Jade scowled. "You and your 'everything has to be just so damn perfect; gotta be miss perfect!' attitude of yours! Nothing here is perfect!"

The she-panda flinched back. "You don't have to be a jerk about it... Why do you keep criticizing me?"

"Then stop worrying about stupid crap!" Jade's eyes began twitching.

"You're very moody... That's not good for the baby..."

"Shut your effing mouth," she growled, her facial tick becoming severe.

Méngméng frowned. "Why are you taking it out on me?! I tell you my fears, and you call me a stupid idiot and judge me! You always do this!"

Jade could feel her body starting to heat up dangerously, the soles of her feet starting to melt the linoleum flooring. "Your fears are unjustified and moronic!" She spun and left very quickly.

She walked past everyone in the waiting area, ignoring Zeb as he tried to ask her something other than to push him out of the way and burning some of his fur, leaving him stunned and confused.

She went outside and got into her vehicle and sat there for almost ten minutes before she could process what had just happened. She beat the steering wheel until it had a slight bend to it.

She wanted to go home, but wasn't sure where that was now. Was it at the _Hall_ with Ted? Or was it back in Colorado? Perhaps it wasn't even here on this planet. Feeling her stomach clench tightly as her nerves were completely shot, she barely had time to open the door before the vomit spewed forth.

She took in several gasping breaths, trying to get herself under control again. Her fur scaled itself before returning to normal, and a hint of purple tinted her fur. She was shaking and could feel her facial tick starting to annoy her. She put her paw up to her eye, wanting to rip the eyelid off. Pulling the door shut, she sighed, glad that the scent of the vomit was trapped outside.

There was a light knock at her door, and Fred's face appeared.

Glancing over, Jade frowned a moment before unlocking the passenger door.

He opened and attempted to fit himself into the car, but his bulkiness wouldn't allow it. He huffed and sat on the ground instead, door open. "What's up? You seemed kinda mad... Did something happen?"

She just leaned forward, her head on the bent steering wheel. "I... I don't know anything anymore, Fred."

He looked at the steering wheel in surprise, and then back at her. "Well, Ted asked me to keep an eye on you while he's away in Memphis getting things sorted for the wedding and fixing things with Pops... So I don't want to give him a bad report. Are you not feeling good? I see you threw up..."

She turned her head to look at him. "Fred, I'm..." She wasn't sure if she wanted to tell him before she told Ted, but maybe she was going to have to. She knew this wasn't the source of her problems, but at least maybe it would keep everybody quiet.

"Pregnant? I'm not stupid... I know your scent's changed. Remember, I have four cubs... Of course, it's two sets of twins, but still, I know when your scent changes. It's more milky, and there's other signs, too."

She just stared at him for a few moments and then dissolved into tears.

He frowned, got up, shut the door, went around to the other side of the car - ignoring the puke - and opened her door, pulling her into a hug. "Hey... If you need to cry, cry. Remember, I grew up with Tennessee for years," he said softly.

She clung to him crying. She wasn't really sure why she was crying but it felt good.

"You pregnant ladies and your hormones," he teased softly.

She lightly punched him in the side. "Shut up, Fred."

"Oof! Rude," he laughed and still held her. "Ya know, you're a lot like my ex... She always bottled things up until she exploded... Guess that's why our marriage didn't work in the end... But... But you and Ted both bottle things up instead of talking to each other..."

"Please, don't tell him."

"I won't. You know I wouldn't. But you should."

"I don't know if I'm going to keep it. I... I don't deserve this. Not after what happened."

Fred blinked. "Not keep it? But this is yours and Ted's child, Jade..."

"I know, but I don't deserve a happiness like this."

"Well, why not?"

"Because... I don't." Her mind drifted back to Zak, watching him suffer until she sang him to sleep and he left with that strange black bear.

"Why don't you tell me a reason, and I'll tell you if you're correct?" he asked gently.

She sighed. She felt comfortable around Fred, always had, and she finally broke down and told him everything.

Listening, his eyes widened, and then he frowned. "Well, that seems fairly odd... But I know why she trusted you in telling you... Because she still sees you as that little girl that followed her around, calling her 'mother'. She still loves her little girl, despite how you treated her."

She groaned in frustration. She was still having a hard time with all of this. And what was he talking about? Little girl? Helen? "It's not... I don't deserve any of this. Not now. It's my fault that Trixie and Tennessee lost their baby!"

Fred was fairly surprised that she didn't comment on what he said about her and Helen, but chose not to further the subject unless she wanted to. "You do deserve to be happy, Jade. Even Trixie and Tennessee still have one of their children."

"But it's my fault all of this happened. People are dead because of me, Fred."

"Mmm... That is partially true, yes, however, Helen was also at fault, too."

"No... She just..." Her eye began twitching again. "Damn it."

"Twitch, twitch," he teased.

She reached up with her paw and covered her eye.

"Helen relayed the information to the wrong person... but also the right person... She should have informed more than one person about the situation, BUT you also should have acted on what you knew. So you're both at fault."

"Can't know what I don't believe in."

"It's funny, really... because you used to believe. Always begged for her stories..." He sighed. "Of course, that was before the incident..."

She glanced at him. "I have no clue what you're talking about, Fred."

"Yeah, and the reason for that, from what I remember, is because of the incident, actually..." He laughed. "I'm sure Ted doesn't remember the young black she-cub that followed us around all the time, trying to pick fights and played with Zeb so much. Such a fiesty little thing."

She frowned again, unable to remember any of this.

"At least, I'm fairly certain it was you. It was someone who looked an awful lot like you. Reason I bring it up is because I saw some pictures in albums a few months back and it reminded me."

"I just remember my brother being obsessed with the band and his imaginary friend Alec."

Fred started laughing. "Uh, Jade... Funny how you and I both know an Alec, huh?"

"I'm lost."

He blinked. "Lost?"

"I don't get what you're talking about."

"Ah, well, see, that's because of what happened. See, Helen has these abilities to remove or add memories and stuff, and she was trying to help you out... but it went all screwy..."

"Fred, you're really not making any sense."

He sighed unhappily. "I wish you did remember... You used to live with us, back when you were a cub. For the first couple years of when we were a band, starting with when we were rebuilding the _Hall_."

She sighed. It was frustrating not knowing. Was he for real?

"There's gotta be pictures somewhere... I know Helen loved taking pictures..." He looked thoughtful. "There is, but I think they're back up in her hideaway."

She frowned. "Fred... I think I'm gonna go home and rest..."

"Shelbyville or the _Hall_?" He laughed. "Both are your homes, actually... You were there when the _Hall_ was being rebuilt, and you lived in Shelbyville, where your father was stationed. Funny how things work out, huh?"

"Do you think Ted would mind if I went to the cabin?"

"Well, it'll be your home soon enough, so I don't think he'd mind. You got the keys?"

"Yeah, he gave me a set."

"Then go home and rest. I'll be by later, okay? I'm going to make sure Zeb isn't TOO fragile with his new little cubs. And that he informs his aunt and uncle about them, and tells Fēnglì he has new siblings, given the bad news earlier..." He sighed a bit, but then smiled. "I am happy for them, and for you. Don't forget that. Everyone deserves happiness."

She nodded and hugged her soon-to-be brother-in-law. "Thanks, Freddy."

He grinned. "And later... maybe we can talk business. I have a proposition for you, and I'd like it if you could help me out?"

"Uh, sure. It probably won't be until tomorrow, though. I think I'm gonna hibernate in Ted's bed."

He smiled and nodded. "Gives me time to get all the plans together."

"Okay!" She sidestepped her vomit and got back into her car.

"Now then, you drive safe, and give me a text when you get there, okay?"

"I will. I'm gonna try to call Ted, too."

"Sounds good. Just not while driving, okay?"

"Of course not, silly." She laughed a bit.

"Great. Now get going!"

"I'm going!" She rolled up her window and started the car and left. Not driving her usual fast speed.

She didn't even turn on the radio as she drove along, her mind lost in thought. What had Fred been talking about? Was Jesse's imaginary friend 'Alec' her striped, friendly Zoober? And this about Méngméng and Zeb's miracle cubs...

She thought about how she had spoken so harshly to Méngméng. She didn't feel sorry for her though, but perhaps it hadn't been the time or place for her anger. The she-bear had every right to be upset and worried, given her history and how she was raised, not to mention losing her cub earlier... but why had she [Jade] allowed herself to get so angry so suddenly?

She sighed as she leaned back, thinking momentarily about letting go of the steering wheel. But something told her not to, a little voice in her head. That she had too much to live for, and that it would be too cruel to do to Ted, Fred, and the baby.

She shook her head, clearing it a bit. She just needed to get home to the cabin and sleep. Soon enough, the turn off came up and she left the interstate. Thankfully, the journey to the _Hall_ wasn't much longer, and she parked in the lot.

Making her way to the dark wood cabin, she was just happy to be away from everybody. Too much social interaction that day. Entering the home, she sighed yet again and looked around for a moment before going to the bathroom and then claiming Ted's large bed for herself. Before she fell asleep, she made sure to text Fred to let him know she made it safe, and then she tried calling her mate.

He didn't answer his phone, but moments later she got a text message. _WHO IS THIS?_

Jade blinked but texted back. _IT'S JADE. WHO ELSE WOULD IT BE?_

 _BACK OFF. TED IS MY BEAR. WHO TF DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?_

Jade frowned. _UH, HIS FIANCÉE?_

 _FIANCÉE? I DON'T KNOW OF ANY FIANCÉE_

Jade felt that familiar rage starting to boil up in her stomach again.

 _STOP CONTACTING ME AND LOSE MY NUMBER_

Eyes narrowing, Jade growled and immediately tried calling again.

A female voice answered. " _Who the fudgenugget is this?! Shove off!_ "

"You listen here, you snobby little twit. Put my fiancée on the phone. Now."

" _Ted doesn't have a fiancée! Back the fudge off before I call the police._ " _Click_!

Jades growl was almost deep enough to scare the stripes off of a tiger. She got up out of bed and used Ted's cabin phone.

The same female voice answered. " _Hello? If this is the same person, I swear!_ "

"If I'm not his fiancée, then tell me how the hell I'm inside his cabin, using his phone? Let me talk to Theodore!"

" _Because you're a stalker! Hey! Ted, gimme back the phone and let me deal with this!_ "

The voice changed to Ted's. " _Jade? I'm so sorry. I was in the bathroom, left my phone, and Brit got a hold of it..._ "

"Yeah, clearly." She sighed, anger dropping a bit as she sat up. "When are you coming home?"

" _Um... Well, I'm sorting things out here, so..._ " He sighed. " _I'm making some big decisions out here, too... Gotta make a more stable employment for myself, so... I..._ "

"Ted, just spit it out."

" _I'm reopening_ Bedderhead and Sons Company _in Nashville_ ," he said bluntly.

"What? Why?" She squeaked. "That's so far away!"

" _I need a more stable income, and with everything that's happened the past couple of months... The band's not going to be the same, if we ever perform again at all. I want to contribute to the grounds. Be able to support myself and you. Maybe any future cubs we may or may not have. Yes, it's far away, but it's a big city. We'll be able to get a lot of business._ _Or maybe if we started it in Pendleton, we'd be between Nashville and Shelbyville... but I don't want people hunting me down at my house at the_ Hall _, you know?_ "

"Yeah, but..."

" _And Shelbyville's not big enough... Besides, we're going to be living in Pendleton, aren't we?_ "

"Well, yeah." She tried to shut out the screaming voices in her head, telling her to kill him for doing this to her.

" _Pops and I have been working things out, too. He still owns the factory in the city, so I'll just be going, well, home, basically. I'm going to ask Fred to work with me._ "

"Oh... You... You don't have to do this, ya know."

" _But I want to. My own business has gotten fairly popular, so I'm going to integrate it into the company, too._ "

"Ted, I... Fine. If this is really what you want to do."

" _I'd much rather make music, but... With things the way they are, it's not going to work out, Jade. It... It just won't._ " His voice was soft and dejected. " _Before money problems get worse, I need to do this..._ "

"I guess. It's probably a good thing, anyways. But I don't like you being so far away..."

" _You don't sound pleased... Understandable, though. I should have consulted you about this ages ago._ "

"It's fine. I just... I really miss you. You've been gone a week..."

" _I'll be home before the month is up, Jade, I promise. If not sooner. Cheer up. You got Fred!_ "

"Yeah, but Fred's not my fiancée or the fatherofourunborncub."

" _Come again? I didn't catch that part. Oh, wait, hold on._ " There was muffled speaking, then Ted returned. " _Sorry, honey, I have to go. Pops wants to go over the plans with me and prices and whatnot. I'll call you back! Love you!_ " _Click_.

"Damn it, Ted." She put the phone back in the receiver and sighed unhappily. Did Ted not care? Or had he heard and panicked? She wasn't sure.

The walls felt so close now, and she had to get out of the cabin and walk around before she went insane. She walked in circles for what felt like forever before finally going to the _Hall_ , one of the places she felt welcome. She had always loved being in the building, but never knew why. Her memories of Fred's stories about her being there surfaced. Was he serious or was he mistaking her for someone else?

She shook her head as she walked around there, too. Eventually, she went up to the balcony and sat for a few minutes, thinking out loud. "Fred can't be serious. Where would he get those ideas, anyway? They're not possible." She frowned. She didn't remember much of her childhood before Germany. "He's gotta be making a mistake. There's no way it's me... No way at all." Where could she find out the truth? Her eyes were drawn to the hidden staircase up to the third balcony.

She got up and went there. She knew a ton of Helen's old things were stored up there and she had to know. Luckily the gate opened, so that was one hurdle done. She went up the staircase, and then across the platform to the beautiful stained glass door. To her surprise, she found that the door opened, as if by magic... or if it was left unlocked, which seemed unlikely, as she knew Henry liked to keep it locked.

As she entered, she pushed the door not all the way closed behind her and looked around. "I guess I'll start with the photo albums..." There were plenty to choose from, and each was labeled with the year and/or season and year. She chose the earliest one she could find, labeled 1971. Opening it, she was greeted with baby pictures of a very odd looking cub.

"Does that thing have horns and a tail?! That is the weirdest thing I have ever seen!" She flipped through more pictures. She blinked. "Dad's house? But why would she... Wait, Dad and Henry knew each other, right? At least, that's what Henry said..." She continued on the pages before pausing in shock. There was her and Jesse, and he was holding that creature with a big grin on his face.

She leaned into the picture to get a better look. "How in the hell...?" She flipped another page. "Hey, this is Henry and Dad..." Ray was even smiling in the image, much to her shock, and the next picture had a much younger than today Henry jumping on her father's back for a piggy back ride, followed by another one that was Ray tackling him.

Her ears lowered. "Dad looked so... happy. What changed?" The ears fell lower when she found another picture where she was playing with her father, and he was still smiling, and she had a big grin on her face. She felt tears well up in her eyes. "Why'd he hate us so much...?

"Was it something I did wrong?" She paused for a moment and wiped her tears before searching through the rest of the pictures, most of them of her, Jesse, and her father, and then some of Helen, Henry, and that creature, and then group pictures of her grandparents whom she only knew through pictures, with the Falcos and Taylors. Everyone looked so happy... There was even a big image of Henry and Ray standing proud and tall with their Medal of Honor around their necks.

She switched to the next book, blinking when she found a building that looked unfamiliar, but she, Jesse, and Helen were standing in front of it, again with that creature. As the pictures went on, she found herself realizing they were on the grounds of the _Hall_! The building looked very different, though, more like a barn than the decorated building it was now.

Then she found that she and the creature were growing up together, playing together, even at one point a bath together, and a nice picture of them in a field with flower crowns upon their heads, both smiling and happy. To her surprise, there was even one of Ray wearing one!

She continued going through the pictures, shaking her head and laughing at a few of them, and then she saw that the strange cub had disappeared from the pictures and everybody began looking less and less happy.

"What happened...?" She frowned a moment, thinking. "Henry mentioned a tornado... Oh..." She flipped the pages watching as the faces changed. She closed it and the picked up the next one that held the pictures of the new _Hall_ being built.

Things began to perk back up again. There were smiles and laughter, but the cub never reappeared. However, many of the photos contained her and a younger Helen, where Helen was braiding flowers into her hair, or just braiding in general, or hanging out together, reading a book, or Jade drawing. And then came the pictures with the unmistakable striped bear with her and Jesse.

"Holy crap, that's Zeb. He looks so young, yet so tall! I guess Ted wasn't lying!" She laughed a bit, cheering up. She flipped to the next page, and there she was pouncing on Zeb while her brother was making a stupid little heart sign with his claws. "Oh, dear gods." She closed her eyes, suddenly finding herself imagining what her life had been if she had been with Zeb instead of Méngméng. Then she frowned. She didn't really know that much about his sensitive side... His playfulness, yes, but other than that?

She opened her eyes back up and found a picture of her and Ted getting ready to have a go at each other. "Did we like each other at all back then?"

And then a photo of her slamming her foot down on his foot. "Oh, maybe not." She snorted and laughed at the outrage on his face. She found another picture of her with a hammer and Ted looking rather nervous. Unconsciously, she reached down and scratched at her bond mark on her foot.

"Man, I have a feeling I was an ass... but Ted's an ass too, so..." She shook her head and flipped the page, seeing more of her and Ted, but mainly her and Zeb or her and Helen, or Henry, Helen, and Ray together. She finally closed that book and looked through more of the boxes that were still up there. And then she came across one that surprised her. JADE. STAY OUT OR DIE. "Seriously? Well now I have to find out what this is." She opened it, half expecting some kind of explosion.

Instead, all that was in there was a stuffed killer whale, and a few other childish things, such as child drawings, a diary thing, and an envelope, among other things.

Jade looked at the stuffed whale and shook her head. "This is really old... Why would it be in here, though... I don't remember any whale toys... Seems kinda silly. A killer whale, huh? Well, I do like those, guess even back then!" She looked at the childish drawings. "Still can't draw... But why do they all seem to be mythical? Are those wings on bears? The hell..." She put them to the side and then looked at the diary.

There was a pocket on the front of it, and a lock on the side sealing it shut. "Well, great. Um..." She fiddled with it, and then reached into the pocket, grinning when she pulled out tiny keys. She opened it and set the lock and keys aside, and then opened it...

She looked at a few of the first entries and shook her head. Then she flipped deeper into the book finding something that caught her eye.

 _Dear diary, I stomped the foot of that jerk, Ted, today. He was being mean to Alec, trying to tell him what to do. He's not his father, and Alec's supposed to play with me and Jesse. We're cubs; that's what we do._

She moved forwards a little more and found a heart with Alec's name in it. "That's embarrassing." She found another entry that made her cringe.

 _Dear diary, Alec had free time today, and Ted and Fred brought him out to play. I was so excited! Jesse keeps telling me I have a crush on Alec, but he's just a big jerk who don't know anything._

 _Dear diary, I think my brother's right. I do have feelings for Alec! He makes my tummy feel like it's got butterflies in it!_

 _Dear diary, got to see the band play today. They are so cool! Alec is really good at the fiddle! Ted's been trying to get me to sing because Alec ratted me out!_

 _Dear diary, Jesse tried to get me to play turth or dare with him and Alec. He's so stupid._

 _Dear diary, Alec keeps smiling at me. Jesse says it's because he likes me. He's so stupid!_

Jade shook her head. "Jesse... you really were stupid." She laughed.

 _Dear diary, Helen finally showed me how to fully control the fire in my pads. Dad freaked out. A lot. He told me that I was going to get burnt badly. Helen chewed him out, telling him that I had to learn before I hurt someone or myself. That if I knew what I was doing, I could remain in control and not be scared of it anymore!_

Jade frowned when she looked at her last and final entry in the book.

 _Dear diary, is this what it's like to have a Mom?_

Jade's ears lowered. All the entries mentioning Helen had been positive, except for the ones where she was cranky about being grounded or put in timeout for being naughty or disobeying. But Helen had always helped her, it would seem, and had loved her when no one else had. She, from what she could read, had a loving parent... that she didn't have any memory of. How could she not remember something so important?! Did it have anything to do with the incident that Fred had mentioned?

She looked throughout the rest of the box, and then lifted out the envelope. She recognized the handwriting as Helen's. TO JADE, it said. I AM SORRY.

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" she wondered aloud and opened the paper, noticing something beneath it. Curiosity getting the better of her, she lifted it out and studied it. "Wait... these look like the totems... Ted showed me his... these look like those..." She fingered them, and then suddenly, she was bombarded by flashing images, each as clear as if they had only happened moments ago...

Happy memories outweighed the bad ones by far. She had a 'mother', a father who loved her more than she ever remembered, a huge crush on Zeb, hate for Ted, amusement for Fred, disgust for Tennessee, and confusion about why Roadie had such long hair. She had memories of going to beauty parlors with Helen and her grandmother on rare occasions, playing with Trista [that was the strange cub's name] and how much she had loved her friend and accepting her for who she was. How to control her abilities after setting things on fire every so often...

Then the memories of the tornado hit her.

That's when Jade grabbed the sides of her head and began shaking and crying as she remembered seeing her friend get torn from Helen and sucked up into the clouds. "No, no, no, no! Make it stop!"

But this time, there was no one there to comfort her as she watched Helen's desperation and heard her heartbreaking wails as she stayed to protect Jade and Jesse from the same fate. How broken she had been afterwards. How not even Jade could reach the she-bear's broken state for over a month.

Jade shivered from the terrible memory and curled herself up into a tight ball.

Tesia

The memories got a bit lighter, and a song entered her mind

 _Beautiful child, beautiful child  
Know you are loved somewhere out there  
Beautiful child  
Beautiful child, beautiful child _

_Know you are loved from above  
Don't be scared  
Don't leave us now  
I know you don't know how its gonna change _

_Don't leave us now  
I know it seems like things will rearrange  
Beautiful child, beautiful child  
Know you are loved somewhere out there _

_Beautiful child  
Don't hide away  
The light inside it needs to shine  
Don't go away _

_You know you get so much to say  
Beautiful child, beautiful child  
Know you are loved somewhere out there  
Beautiful _

_When the nightmares keep going  
And the days are getting worse  
When you feel your mind is blowing  
And your life seems like a curse _

_Just know, just know, just know  
You are loved  
Beautiful child, beautiful child  
Know you are loved somewhere out there _

_Beautiful child  
Beautiful child, beautiful child  
Know you are loved from heaven above  
Don't be scared _

_Don't be scared (You are beautiful)  
Don't be scared (You are not alone)  
Don't be scared (You are beautiful)  
Don't be scared _

_Beautiful child_

She knew that song. Helen had sang it to her and Trista every time they had gotten scared at night to quell their nightmares and fears about their differences. The song was beautiful and gentle, and it relieved her tension a bit.

Jade felt herself relax a bit. She finally was able to calmly look at her totems. She seemed to have a fish one, a tree, too? That must be for climbing. A few others she didn't recognize. Jade put the necklace in her pocket. She needed Ted and she needed him now; she couldn't wait.

The memories improved. Her working with Helen, pulling her out of her shell, telling her that she was still there, and that she wanted her back. Helen returning and calming her nightmares... Telling her how much she loved her. And then came one last memory...

 **F** **LASHBACK**

 _She had just woken from a nightmare of seeing Trista taken away by the storm, and she woke up to Helen turning on the light and pulling her close, rocking her back and forth, asking if she was okay. She remembered telling the she-bear what had happened, and seeing the sadness in Helen's eyes. And then..._

 _"I... I can make you forget her, Jade... Would you like that? Seeing you have nightmares for so long about this..."_

 _Jade nodded, eyes full of tears. "I don't wanna be scared anymore..."_

 _Helen nodded, ears lowering. "Just... Just in case, I want you to know I always loved you, baby girl..."_

 _Jade nuzzled into Helen. " I love you, too, mommy."_

 _Helen purred and held her close, kissing her forehead, and then pulled back, eyes turning silver as she touched her temples and focused, fishing out the memories. Jade could feel herself remembering less and less about her red-furred horned friend. And then..._

 _"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" Ray had stormed in, looking absolutely furious as he yanked Helen away and threw her aside._

 _Helen let out a shout. "WAIT! RAY, DON'T! YOU CAN'T BREAK THE CONNECTIO-"_

 **E** **ND F** **LASHBACK**

Jade blinked as she was brought back to reality. "This... All of this is Dad's fault." She felt white hot anger begging to take hold of her again. "No, Jade, calm down..." she told herself, trying to fight back against it.

She quickly put everything back in the box and kept the necklace in her pocket. She'd look at things more later when she could focus. She put the box away and then left, shutting the door behind her. She went back to Ted's cabin, changed her clothes, and got in the car.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and please leave a REVIEW. I rather like reviews because they make me happy and allow me to know that people are reading, and for someone who works hard on her craft for a very small fandom, it's nice to know that her stories are actually noticed! Thanks again for reading and see you next time! Bye!**


	11. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

 _August 19th, 1975_

 _Tris grows stronger every day. Her wounds from the great wind have also healed, but have left behind scars. Her fur covers all but the worst of the cuts. I have learned that the great wind she spoke of was none other than the Pendleton tornado. I have also learned her true identity. She is Trista Jaiden Taylor, born of Helen and Henry Taylor from Pendleton, Tennessee._

 _I have become a kidnapper without meaning to. Yet, I fear that if I take her back, I will be prosecuted. She's adapted to being here with us at the circus, and she's happy and free. I don't want to send her back, but also feel their pain at losing their child. In these past few months, however, she has become my child as well. I have come to love her as my own. She may not call me her father, but she does call me Jeff, which is short for Jeffrey, my name. Jeffrey Thompkins, the odd snake-skinned person of the circus._

 _She has come to love our great animals here, too! As if she can communicate with them, there have been times when I have found her sleeping soundly in the lion or tiger cages. It scares me horribly, but she just giggles and gives them kisses._

 _Could she perhaps be a Vatem with the ability to communicate with them? I believe that may be it. Perhaps I will start her with animal training? I have spoken to our ringmaster and he agrees. Perhaps even acrobatics! With those odd legs of hers, I have found that she is able to leap great distances and heights, far from that of a normal bear cub._

 _I'm going to keep her here with me, I have decided. She will be happy and will fit in. Everyone has grown to love her. I will hide her true identity from her until she begins to ask me when she is old enough to understand. Then she can decide for herself if she wishes to remain with us at the Circus or venture out into the regular world._

 _.~*The Country Bears*~._

 _Several years and Four hours later..._

Ted was sighing as he sat at the dinner table, eating his hearty meal. He seemed bothered by something or other and not that hungry, but he didn't want to upset his mother. He wanted to go home and back to Jade, but alas, he had to stay and sort things out with his father.

"Teddy, what's on your mind?" Jeanette asked, looking over at her eldest.

"Not much. I just want to go back to Jade. She sounded upset on the phone. What if something else has happened?"

"I'm sure more than just her would be contacting you if something serious has happened, Teddy," she comforted.

"Yeah... after that crash, we're all jumpy in our thoughts." He sighed, carefully eating to not spill his food with his shaky arms. He was still recovering from them being broken, but at least now he was out of the casts and able to use them again.

"We know, baby, we know. What happened was out of your control, though. Now eat and you can call her back after dinner."

He nodded and continued feeding himself until there was a knock at the door and the ring of the doorbell. Ears perking, he looked back at the front door, watching as his father got up to answer it with an annoyed expression.

She sighed, also watching her husband. "Somehow people always know when we're eating dinner, and that's when they choose to visit or call."

From the entryway, Simon's voice called for him. "Ted! You have a visitor." He wandered back inside, stepping aside for a small black bear.

Ted blinked, getting up. "Jade? What the hell are you doing here? There's a freakin blizzard outside!" He brushed her off as his father shut the door.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, but... I'm sorry, I couldn't stay there by myself."

"Jade, you drove over four hours because you didn't want to be alone?!"

"I'd have driven eight if I had to," she mumbled.

"Teddy? What's going on?" his mother called out.

Ted frowned and pulled his mate into the dining room. "We have another guest for dinner?"

Jeanette immediately got up and prepared another plate of food.

Jade gave a little wave, but was ignored.

"Yeah, don't do that, intruder," Ted teased. "You're crazy."

Simon pulled up a new chair, allowing her to sit beside Ted. "Sit. I'm going to eat in the kitchen." He picked up his plate and left.

"Pops, we have four chairs here," Ted complained. "Guess he's trying to separate us," he said to Jade. He sat back down, and watched as his mother put a fresh plate in front of Jade and fussed over her.

"What are you doing here?" Ted finally asked.

"I told you. I didn't want to be alone." Jade answered, reaching into her pocket and fingering the necklace. She looked at him oddly, as if seeing him for the first time. He was still very handsome, that was for sure, but she was also conflicted. What if those old feelings for Zeb returned?

Ted didn't seem to notice. "You had Fred and everyone else to hang out with... You look rattled. What's going on?"

Simon called his wife from the kitchen, and she picked up her own food and left, closing the dividing doors behind her.

Jade sighed. "It's... nobody was there. Most are still at the hospital. Well, Zoober's not, but he's at physical therapy a lot, and Méngméng's been with him. Tasha and James are preparing for their move... Fred's always off doing something, Henry's at that private hospital, and Beary's not discharged until tomorrow."

"Yeah, but I thought you were visiting them today? That's what Fred said in his phone call earlier... Along with a few other things." He frowned. "Honey... What about Zeus, Smores, or Sparta?"

"They are fine for the night. Their kennels have warm buildings for them."

"I see..." He frowned. "Does this have anything to do with, uh, the two new cubs?"

Simon could be over heard telling Jeanette to calm down in the kitchen as he had just whispered to her what his nose had picked up on.

Ted flicked an ear, but ignored his parents.

"No... well, maybe a little, but mostly no."

"Really? I thought you'd be angrier considering how much you hate her."

"I don't hate Méngméng! I just can't stand her sometimes!"

He blinked. "Méngméng? Why are we... Jade, I'm talking about Esmeralda and Beary!"

She blinked. "What? Oh... Oh, crap, I forgot about that." She groaned. She had just left Beary there, probably confused and hurt about being abandoned.

"How... did you forget something like that?! Ever since Fred told me, I've been shaking with anger! I hate that goddamn bitch and what she did! And you just forget?!"

"I've had a lot of stuff dropped on my shoulders today, Teddy."

"Fred only mentioned the twins... Méngméng losing her first cub, and then more twins... and you going home." He raised an eyebrow. "I suppose that is a lot..."

"Yeah, and then your sister threatened to call the police on me..."

"Oh, yeah, that. Okay, I forgot about that one. She didn't know I was dating, let alone have a mate or fiancé... So... yeah. Sorry about that."

She sighed. "And then you hung up on me as I was trying to tell you something very, very, very, _very_ important."

"Yeah, well, Pops needed me, so..." He frowned. "What's so important?" He took a bite of his food.

"I'm pregnant."

He paused, tilting his head almost childishly as he swallowed and stared. "Pregnant, huh?"

"Uh... yeah."

"Well, that's... new. When did this happen?"

In the kitchen, Simon had to hold back Jeanette and hold her mouth closed as she wanted to throttle her eldest.

"I'm figuring after the concert, but before the wreck."

He paused, thinking. "That... does sound about right. It was quite a... passionate night." he took another bite of his food.

She blinked and frowned a bit. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. She took a bite of her food, suddenly feeling the need to keep her paws busy.

"You drove four hours to tell me that?"

Simon REALLY had to hold Jeanette back now.

"Yeah..."

"Well... That makes me feel rather... special." He frowned, brow furrowed. They fell into silence, and Ted finished his dinner and got up to clean it, and made it to the door before stopping and dropping his plate in shock, it shattering on the floor. He spun around and grabbed her shoulders. "DID YOU JUST SAY YOU'RE PREGNANT?!"

She squeaked in surprise. "Yeah, like twenty minutes ago!"

"You... you're... I'm going to be..."

Jade watched him figure it out.

"Holy... freaking... crap."

She frowned. He was so calm before. "Yeah, I know..."

"This... changes everything... I..."

She could hear Simon and Jeanette in the kitchen almost giggling like schoolgirls, which she found hilarious.

Ted flicked an ear. "Ma's talking about killing me."

"Yeah, I can hear her. Oddly enough, your Dad's on your side."

"Uh, yeah... I'd be shocked, too... Which I am. What the hell am I saying?"

"You're babbling, so I'm not sure."

"I... A dad... a dad... what the... I'm no good with cubs!"

Jade frowned, and that was when Simon unleashed the beast.

"I don't know how to take care of a cub... Fred does... I don't... I..."

Jeanette stormed out and grabbed her son by the ear. "YOU! WHAT THE HELL, TED?! YOU ARE GOING TO BE A FATHER, SO YOU BETTER CHECK OUT SOME FUDGING PARENTING BOOKS TOMORROW OR SO HELP ME I WILL SKIN YOU FOR A PELT RUG!"

Jade blinked and then began laughing while Ted looked very scared.

Simon came in and put a paw on Jade's shoulder. "Guess he really needs to fill his sister in on what's going on."

Jade looked up at Simon and then at Ted.

Jeanette wasn't finished as she tore her son a new one for doing this to his poor mate and not knowing what the hell he was doing.

Ted was very scared of his angry mother. "I... yes, ma. No, ma. I'm sorry, ma."

Jeanette huffed and released him. "When's the wedding?"

"Wedding?"

Her eyes almost seemed to burst into flames.

"We haven't set a date yet. I'm waiting for my father to come back from overseas," Jade quickly interjected while Ted hid behind his father.

Simon shook his head. "Ted, you're ridiculous."

"But she's scary!"

Jade also gave her head a shake. "Wait until you meet my Dad."

Ted looked at her oddly for a moment. "Right... still haven't met him..."

Simon frowned and sat at the table, and Jade sighed, getting a headache. Jeanette glared at her son, tapping her foot and crossing her arms.

Ted crouched down between Jade and his father. "Don't kill me?"

"Why would I kill you? You've made grandbabies."

Jade tilted her head back to look at her mate. "You're so dopey."

"Yes, but she's scary."

"Damn straight!"

Simon rolled his eyes.

Ted frowned and looked at Jade before picking her up and running for it, locking himself in the bedroom with her. "She's going to eat me and it's your fault."

"How is this my fault?!"

"You _had_ to announce you were pregnant in the dining room?!"

"I'm pretty sure they already knew."

He blinked. "How'd they know?! Did you tell them before me?!" He looked hurt.

"What? No!"

"Then how?"

"Because my scent's changed. Surprised you didn't realize."

He blinked and leaned forward, giving her a sniff. "Oh."

"Yeah..."

His eyes widened and he suddenly gasped at the pins and needles that overtook his arms and sat down, scrunching up his face.

Her eyes widened. "Shoot! Ted, are you okay?!" She moved over to him.

"Freakin hell... I forgot that I was still recovering from the broken arms and whatnot... and I picked you up... did you put on weight?!" He couldn't even move his paws at this point.

"Yeah, I put on weight, you dolt! I'm pregnant!"

"That explains it... right..." He cursed a little more.

"What do you need? What can I do?"

"Pain killers... over on the dresser. Maybe... a massage, if you're up to it. Don't have to," he groaned. "I'm a freakin idiot..."

She got up and got him his medicine and a cup of water, waiting until he had finished and then began to gently rub his shoulders and arms.

"This is so stupid... I wish that damn crash had never happened... We'd be out there touring right now..." he muttered unhappily. "I'd be able to play again..."

"I know. Ya know, we got lucky, when you think about it."

"Lucky? Well, I guess it could have been way worse..." He sighed.

"Well, I was pregnant when it happened."

He frowned, and then nodded. "So was Méngméng."

"Yeah... She had a litter in her. One died today, though... I'm sure Fred told you."

"He did. Still a litter, though... And given her difficulties of conceiving/holding onto a pregnancy, I think we'd all be more upset about her losing the babes... You and I could try again easily, but..." His ears flattened at how horrible it sounded.

Jade shook her head. "You have no idea how terrified I am right now."

He looked at her. "Because of what happened with your mother?"

She nodded.

"Everything will work out, Jade... We have to believe in that."

"I'm still scared."

"So am I... Because if I lose you, I don't know what I'll do... You're my best friend..."

"I love you so much, Teddy," she murmured, putting her forehead against the center of his back and tried to keep herself from crying.

He smiled. "I'd hug you, but my arms betray me."

"It's ok..." She wrapped her arms around his torso. "Mine work."

He laughed and leaned his head back. "Hey... Jade? Do you think maybe we should have an elopement first, and then a makeup wedding later? I... I know what the press will do... what they're already doing to Zeb... What they did to Jewel... Calling all our cubs bastards."

"Only if we go to Vegas and get married by an Asian Elvis."

"Consider it done. Let's leave tomorrow." He grinned.

"Deal."

He smiled. "Let's get some rest, okay? Wait, do you have any pajamas?"

"No, I didn't really think about that."

"Right... Um... Go talk to Ma, then. I'm gonna try to get into some PJs."

"Do you need help?"

He sheepishly nodded.

She smiled and helped him get changed and into his PJs. " there..."

He grinned. "All snug and happy," he laughed. "But now I gotta pee, so if you'd excuse me." And he vanished.

She laughed and grabbed one of his shirts and put it on as her nightshirt.

Ted soon returned. "Don't you ever pee, woman?"

"I peed before I left "

"Five hours ago... I don't need you wetting my bed. Go piss."

She rolled her eyes and did as she was told. She came back a few minutes later.

Ted grinned and was laying back in the bed, waiting on her. "You know... I've really missed you... I'm sorry I've been gone since Christmas, but... I had to figure these things out, and I'm glad I have. Especially now."

She snuggled up to him. " I missed you more."

"Oh, you think? I have nothing of yours here... You at least have Fred with you!"

"Yes, but he's not you," she laughed.

"No... I'm better," he laughed. "Okay, that was cruel. Don't tell him I said that."

She nuzzled him. "I won't."

"We won't tell anyone about the elopement until after... It wouldn't be fair to invite my family while your dad isn't there." He frowned. "I'd say take Beary and Jewel, but..."

She remained silent almost as if she was sleeping already.

He sighed and closed his eyes. "Just us..." he yawned.

"Yeah, just us." She laid next to him, listening to him breath and then snore. She smiled. She knew that even though she might have had a crush on Zeb at one point that this bear... the one she stomped on so many years ago was just for her.

 _.~*~._

Two days later, Ted and Jade stood at the alter with a panda impersonating Elvis, saying their vows and slipping the rings on each other's fingers, with Ted slipping the firestone that completed Jade's dragon ring onto her finger.

She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him, careful not to hurt his shoulders and arms.

He held her the best he could, smiling and laughing as he kissed her back. "Mrs. Bedderhead," he murmured, rubbing his nose against hers.

She smiled. "I feel like I've waited forever to say that."

"Seems like it's been forever, actually... But now no more... You're now my wife, and that comes with perks."

"Like free drinks?"

He laughed. "I'm not the drinker, babe. You're thinking of Zeb."

"I know that."

"Maybe a light beer now and again, but that's about it. Gotta keep this mind sharp!" He laughed and walked with his bride out of the chapel.

She shook her head. "Yeah, yeah. Let's go waste some money."

He grinned. "I'd pick you up, but I've learned my lesson. And no, that's not a crack about your weight."

"Uh-huh."

"Oh, good, you're not at the crazy hormonal bitch state yet. Man, I don't know how Zeb handled Méngméng. She was crazy in the later months."

She frowned. "Yeah."

He frowned also. "Makes me wonder how things will be with you and your, uh... Well, your dragoness?"

"I don't even want to think about that," she muttered, looking at her paws.

"I'll have a fire extinguisher ready," he teased.

She blew a raspberry at him.

"I'm serious about this one."

"Oh, I know."

He frowned. "You know, thinking back, I remember someone else who would burn things unintentionally..."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that same person stomped on your foot, too."

He blinked and looked at her. "How'd you know someone stomped on my foot? Betcha even know that that same person actually burned a weird shape on my foot, too, huh?" He was just joking with her, but also wondering how she knew that someone had stomped on his foot.

"Yeah... It looks like this?" She stopped walking and showed him the sole of her foot with a laugh.

He blinked and sat on a bench, looking at his own foot. "What the... You..."

"Yup."

"But... Holy shit, I'm the one who ended up marrying you instead of..."

She shrugged. "Uh, yeah. Well, we are 'bonded', ya know." She pointed to their feet.

"So that's what that meant... I've been wondering for so long..."

"No, I just left you with an odd scar," she said, sitting next to him.

"Funny how you and I both have the same scar... like Mengmeng and Zeb do... like Helen and Henry... Beary and Jewel... Tennessee and Trixie, even. Yeah, just an odd scar."

She rolled her eyes.

"Don't you roll your eyes at me. It's like you thinking that your dragoness is normal."

"Oh, I know it's not normal."

"And it's not bound by any sort of culture, huh?" He snorted. "Then how do you explain you and Beary?"

"Do we have to get into this now?"

"Nah, just happened to come up. Say, how about we see the Strip tonight?"

"We'll see."

"I think it'd be fun, honestly. Now then, what casino do you want to hit?"

"Let's find the most gaudy one we can!"

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and please leave a REVIEW. I rather like reviews because they make me happy and allow me to know that people are reading, and for someone who works hard on her craft for a very small fandom, it's nice to know that her stories are actually noticed! Thanks again for reading and see you next time! Bye!**


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